Shloka 16

चिरकारि-उपाख्यानम् / The Exemplum of Cirakārī: Deliberation Before Irreversible Action

Devanagari script

सर्वतः शड़्कते स्तेनो मृगो ग्राममिवेयिवान्‌ । बहुधा5<चरितं पापमन्यत्रैवानुपश्यति

Transliteration

sarvataḥ śaṅkate steno mṛgo grāmam iveyivān | bahudhā caritaṃ pāpam anyatraivānupaśyati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：盗贼对众人皆疑惧，如迷入村落之鹿。因其自身屡行恶业，便以为他人亦同样罪恶。

Word by Word

• सर्वतः: from all sides; everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतस्
• Form: avyaya (direction/extent adverb)

• शङ्कते: fears; suspects
• Type: Verb
• Root: शङ्क्
• Form: present (laṭ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• स्तेनः: the thief
• स्तेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मृगः: a deer
• मृगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• ग्रामम्: the village
• ग्रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• इव: like; as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: avyaya (simile particle)

• एयिवान्: having come; having entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (गम्-अर्थे) → एयिवस्/एयिवान् (भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: perfect active participle (क्वसु), masculine, nominative, singular

• बहुधा: in many ways; many times
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा
• Form: avyaya (manner/frequency adverb)

• चरितम्: done; practiced; committed
• चरितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: past passive participle (क्त), neuter, accusative, singular

• पापम्: sin; evil
• पापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere; in others
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र
• Form: avyaya (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: avyaya (emphasis)

• अनुपश्यति: sees; perceives (in others)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + पश्य्
• Form: present (laṭ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• thief (stena)
• deer (mṛga)
• village (grāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wrongdoing breeds inner fear and suspicion: one who has repeatedly acted sinfully tends to project that same intent onto others, living in constant apprehension.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on righteous conduct, he uses a vivid simile: a thief, like a deer trapped in a village, is frightened from every direction, because his own past misdeeds make him expect harm and deceit from others.