Shloka 13

Adhyāya 174: Karma as an inescapable companion (कर्मानुगमन-उपदेश)

Devanagari script

सिक्‍त्वामृतेन तं विप्रं गौतमं जीवयत्‌ तदा । 'पुरुषप्रवर! उसके अनुरोधको स्वीकार करके इन्द्र-देवने गौतम ब्राह्मगको भी अमृत छिड़ककर जिला दिया ।। सभाण्डोपस्करं राजंस्तमासाद्य बकाधिप:

Transliteration

siktvāmṛtena taṃ vipraṃ gautamaṃ jīvayat tadā |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“其时，因陀罗以甘露洒之，使婆罗门乔达摩复苏。如此，他尊重所受之请，守护贤圣之责，并再度昭示对婆罗门清净神圣的敬畏。”

Word by Word

• सिक्त्वा: having sprinkled
• सिक्त्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage-neutral for ktvā), non-finite

• अमृतेन: with nectar
• अमृतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• विप्रम्: the brahmin, sage
• विप्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• गौतमम्: Gautama
• गौतमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• जीवयत्: revived/made (him) live
• जीवयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), parasmaipada, 3rd, singular, causative (णिच्)

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Indra
• Gautama
• amṛta (nectar of immortality)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as reverence and protection toward a worthy brāhmaṇa: even a powerful deity like Indra responds to a righteous request and restores life, underscoring compassion and the safeguarding of spiritual merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Indra, accepting a request, sprinkles amṛta and revives the brāhmaṇa-sage Gautama. Bhishma narrates this as an example of dharmic conduct and divine support for the virtuous.