Shloka 9

निर्वेदोपदेशः (Nirveda-Upadeśa) — Maṅki’s Dispassion and the Limits of Wealth-Seeking

Devanagari script

अथोपविष्टं शयने गौतमं धर्मराट्‌ तदा । पप्रच्छ काश्यपो वाग्मी किमागमनकारणम्‌,धर्मराज! जब गौतम उस बिछौनेपर बैठा तब बात-चीतमें कुशल कश्यपकुमारने पूछा --“ब्रह्मम! आप इधर किसलिये आये हैं?

Transliteration

athopaviṣṭaṃ śayane gautamaṃ dharmarāṭ tadā | papraccha kāśyapo vāgmī kimāgamanakāraṇam, dharmarāja ||

Translation

随后，当乔达摩在榻上坐定，善辩的迦叶波便问那持法之王（达摩罗阇）道：“噢，达摩罗阇，你来此处所为何因？”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उपविष्टम्: seated
• उपविष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपविष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शयने: on the bed
• शयने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• गौतमम्: Gautama
• गौतमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मराट्: the king of dharma (Yudhishthira)
• धर्मराट्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराट्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect, 3, Singular

• काश्यपः: Kashyapa
• काश्यपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वाग्मी: eloquent
• वाग्मी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाग्मिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आगमनकारणम्: the reason for (your) coming
• आगमनकारणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन-कारण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मराज: O king of dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Gautama
• Dharma-rāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Kāśyapa
• śayana (couch/bed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that dharma begins with examining intention: before judging an act, one asks its kāraṇa (motive). Respectful questioning and clarity of purpose are presented as ethical foundations.

What is happening in the narrative?

Gautama is seated on a couch, and the eloquent sage Kāśyapa addresses the righteous king (Dharmarāja), asking why he has come—setting up a dialogue where the reason for the visit will guide the ensuing instruction.