Shloka 16

Tapas as the Root of Attainment (तपः—साधनमूलप्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

संरक्षति त्वां पवन: सखित्वेन न संशय: । तस्मात्‌ त्व बहुशाखो5पि पर्णवान्‌ पुष्पवानपि

Transliteration

saṃrakṣati tvāṃ pavanaḥ sakhitvena na saṃśayaḥ | tasmāt tvaṃ bahuśākho 'pi parṇavān puṣpavān api |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“毫无疑问，风神护佑你，是因为他把你视作朋友。因此你才如此繁茂昌盛——枝柯众多，叶与花俱盛。”

Word by Word

• संरक्षति: protects
• संरक्षति: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + रक्ष्
• Form: Lat (Present Indicative), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• पवनः: the Wind (Vayu)
• पवनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सखित्वेन: by/through friendship
• सखित्वेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखित्व
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

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

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• बहुशाखः: having many branches
• बहुशाखः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुशाख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पर्णवान्: leafy; possessing leaves
• पर्णवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्णवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुष्पवान्: flowering; possessing flowers
• पुष्पवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्पवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Pavana (Vāyu, Wind-god)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True friendship and righteous affinity invite protection and support; when a higher power (here, Vāyu) stands as a friend, the result is visible well-being—symbolized by abundant branches, leaves, and flowers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a flourishing being (implied as a tree or plant in context) and explains its prosperity as the effect of Vāyu’s guardianship, grounded in a bond of friendship.