Shloka 13

कालनियमः शोकशमनं च

Kāla as Regulator; Pacification of Grief

Devanagari script

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीमा गाथा गीता ययातिना । याश्रि: प्रत्याहरेत्‌ कामान्‌ कूर्मोडज्ानीव सर्वश:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

atrāpy udāharantīmā gāthā gītā yayātinā |

yāḥ śriḥ pratyāharet kāmān kūrmo 'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说：在此处，人们也常引耶雅提王所唱的这些偈颂为例——凭借这些偈颂，人能收摄并约束一切欲望，正如龟从四面收回其肢体一般。

Word by Word

• अत्र: here, in this context
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite, they quote (as an example)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Lat (present), 3, plural, Parasmaipada

• इमाम्: this (one)
• इमाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• गाथाम्: verse, gāthā
• गाथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाथा
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• गीताम्: sung, recited
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गीता
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular, kta (past passive participle)

• ययातिना: by Yayāti
• ययातिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• या: which (she/that)
• या: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• श्रीः: splendour/fortune; (here) the wise discipline/virtue (as personified)
• श्रीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• प्रत्याहरेत्: should withdraw, should draw back
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आ-हृ
• Form: Vidhi-lin (optative), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• कामान्: desires, sense-objects
• कामान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• कूर्मः: tortoise
• कूर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अङ्गानि: limbs
• अङ्गानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

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

• सर्वशः: entirely, on all sides, in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yayāti
• tortoise (kūrma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should withdraw and restrain desires completely, using the tortoise drawing in its limbs as a model for sense-control and inner discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana introduces a traditional illustration: verses attributed to King Yayāti that are commonly quoted to support the teaching of curbing desires through deliberate withdrawal.