Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अविज्ञायैव मे प्रज्ञां बालस्येव स पण्डित: । ब्रह्मन पितेव पुत्रस्य प्रीतिमानू भव शौनक

Transliteration

avijñāyaiva me prajñāṃ bālasyeva sa paṇḍitaḥ | brahman piteva putrasya prītimānū bhava śaunaka ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，婆罗门商那迦，虽说你学识渊博，也请不要过于严苛地评断我的理解；正如人们会宽宥孩童稚拙的心智。愿你以慈意待我，如父亲出于天性之爱而喜悦其子一般。”

Word by Word

• अविज्ञाय: without knowing / not having understood
• अविज्ञाय: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• प्रज्ञाम्: understanding / intellect
• प्रज्ञाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रज्ञा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• बालस्य: of a child
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• इव: like / as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पण्डितः: the learned one / scholar
• पण्डितः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahmin
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• पिता: a father
• पिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like / as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पुत्रस्य: of (his) son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• प्रीतिमान्: pleased / affectionate
• प्रीतिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीतिमत्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भव: be (you)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शौनक: O Shaunaka
• Type: Proper Noun
• Root: शौनक
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śaunaka

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse models humility and respectful discourse: a speaker asks the learned listener to respond with patience and affectionate forbearance, like a father toward a child, rather than harsh judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses the sage Śaunaka, acknowledging Śaunaka’s learning and requesting indulgence toward Bhīṣma’s own limitations, using the father–son relationship as an ethical analogy for compassionate listening.