Shloka 4

Tapas, Tīrtha, and Moral Rehabilitation (Śānti-parva 148)

Devanagari script

शुभं कर्म परित्यज्य सो5हं शकुनिलुब्धक: । नृशंसस्य ममाद्यायं प्रत्यादेशो न संशय:

Transliteration

śubhaṃ karma parityajya so'haṃ śakunilubdhakaḥ | nṛśaṃsasya mamādyāyaṃ pratyādeśo na saṃśayaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我既已舍弃正行与善业，便如赌徒与捕鸟猎人一般。像我这般残酷之人，毫无疑问，今日所临乃是相称的报应——对我自身所作之业的回返与回应。”

Word by Word

• शुभम्: auspicious (thing)
• शुभम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कर्म: deed, action
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Active

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• शकुनि-लुब्धकः: bird-catcher, fowler
• शकुनि-लुब्धकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि + लुब्धक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नृशंसस्य: of the cruel (one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृशंस
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यादेशः: retribution, return (of consequences)
• प्रत्यादेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यादेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That abandoning virtuous action leads to moral downfall, and that suffering can be understood as the fitting return (pratyādeśa) of one’s own cruel deeds—an affirmation of ethical causality and accountability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, speaking in the Śānti Parva, reflects on his own conduct with harsh self-judgment, likening himself to a gambler and a hunter, and interprets his present condition as deserved recompense for cruelty.