Shloka 28

भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या

Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa

Devanagari script

परिच्छिद्यैव कामानां सर्वेषां चैव कर्मणाम्‌ | मूल॑ बुद्धीन्द्रियग्रामं शकुन्तानिव पठ्जरे

Transliteration

paricchidyaiva kāmānāṁ sarveṣāṁ caiva karmaṇām | mūlaṁ buddhīndriyagrāmaṁ śakuntān iva pañjare ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“当明明白白地划定界限并约束一切欲望与一切行为时，应当了知其根本在于心的辨别之力，以及那一整群感官。若能使智慧与诸根受制于己——如鸟被关在笼中——便无所畏惧。”

Word by Word

• परिच्छिद्य: having restrained/cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-छिद्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

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

• कामानाम्: of desires
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कर्मणाम्: of actions
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• मूलम्: root/cause
• मूलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• बुद्धीन्द्रियग्रामम्: the aggregate of intellect and senses
• बुद्धीन्द्रियग्रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि + इन्द्रिय + ग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शकुन्तान्: birds
• शकुन्तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुन्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• पञ्जरे: in a cage
• पञ्जरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्जर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• buddhi (intellect)
• indriyas (senses)
• birds (metaphor)
• cage (metaphor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Desires and actions arise from the interplay of discernment (buddhi) and the senses (indriya-grāma). Ethical steadiness and fearlessness come from restraining and governing these inner instruments rather than letting them roam freely.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma advises the listener that mastery over intellect and senses is the practical foundation for controlling desire-driven conduct, using the image of birds safely kept within a cage.