Shloka 6

अव्यक्तकालमान-निर्णयः

Measures of Time from the Unmanifest; Creation, Elements, and the Primacy of Mind

Devanagari script

तन्नः कार्य पक्षिवर प्रशाधि यत्‌ कार्याणां मन्यसे श्रेष्ठमेकम्‌ । यत्‌ कृत्वा वै पुरुष: सर्वबन्धै- विमुच्यते विहगेन्द्रेह शीघ्रम्‌ू

Transliteration

tan naḥ kārya pakṣivara praśādhi yat kāryāṇāṁ manyase śreṣṭham ekam | yat kṛtvā vai puruṣaḥ sarvabandhair vimucyate vihagendreha śīghram ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，群鸟之最胜者，请教导我们当行之事——请说出你认为诸般义务之中最高的一件事。行此一事，人便能在此世间迅速解脱一切束缚，噢，鸟中之王。”

Word by Word

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• नः: to us
• नः: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Plural

• कार्य: to be done; duty; task
• कार्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पक्षि-वर: O best of birds
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षि + वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रशाधि: instruct; direct; tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शास्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: which (thing)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कार्याणाम्: of (all) duties/tasks
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• मन्यसे: you think/consider
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Atmanepada

• श्रेष्ठम्: best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एकम्: one (single)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: which (thing)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• पुरुषः: a person
• पुरुषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व-बन्धैः: from all bonds/bindings
• सर्व-बन्धैः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + बन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विमुच्यते: is released/freed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Passive

• विहग-इन्द्र: O lord of birds
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहग + इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Pakṣivara (best of birds)
• Vihagendra (lord of birds)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a central ethical-spiritual inquiry: among all possible duties, what single practice is supreme and leads to swift freedom from all forms of bondage. It emphasizes prioritizing the highest dharma that culminates in liberation (mokṣa).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a revered “lord of birds,” requesting instruction. He asks the bird-sage to identify the one best course of action—above all other duties—by which a person can be quickly released from worldly bonds in this very life.