Shloka 22

Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)

Devanagari script

एवमस्त्विति तानाह राक्षसेन्द्रो निशाचरान्‌

Transliteration

evam astv iti tān āha rākṣasendro niśācarān

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“罗刹之主答道：‘就依此办。’说罢，他对那些夜行之众开口，允准所议，并向随从下达回应。”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• अस्तु: let it be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive sense), 3rd, singular, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus (quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• आह: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु: आह = perfect of √अह् 'to say')
• Form: लिट् (perfect), 3rd, singular, परस्मैपद

• राक्षसेन्द्रः: the lord of the Rakshasas
• राक्षसेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसेन्द्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• निशाचरान्: the night-roamers (Rakshasas)
• निशाचरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• rākṣasendra (lord of the Rākṣasas)
• niśācaras (night-roaming beings/Rākṣasas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights decisive assent and leadership in action: a leader acknowledges a proposal (“So be it”) and then addresses his group, signaling acceptance and readiness to proceed.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s narration, the chief of the Rākṣasas responds to his assembled night-roaming followers, saying “So be it,” and then speaks to them, indicating agreement and the next step in their course of action.