Shloka 17
Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse
Devanagari script
यथा च शकुना: सूक्ष्मं प्राप्प जालमरिंदम । तत्र सक्ता विपद्यन्ते मुच्यन्ते च बलान्विता:
Transliteration
yathā ca śakunāḥ sūkṣmaṁ prāpya jālam ariṁdama | tatra saktā vipadyante mucyante ca balānvitāḥ ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“制敌者啊，正如群鸟遇见织得极细的罗网——陷入其中者必遭败亡，而具足力量者则能挣断而脱。”
Word by Word
यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
शकुनाःbirds
शकुनाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशकुन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सूक्ष्मम्fine, subtle
सूक्ष्मम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसूक्ष्म
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
प्राप्यhaving reached/obtained
प्राप्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + आप्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)
जालम्net, snare
जालम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजाल
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अरिंदमO foe-subduer (epithet)
अरिंदम:
TypeNoun
Rootअरिंदम
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
तत्रthere, in that (net)
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
सक्ताःstuck, entangled
सक्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसक्त
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle from √सञ्ज्/√सज् 'to cling/attach')
विपद्यन्तेperish/come to ruin
विपद्यन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + पद्
FormPresent, Atmanepada, Third, Plural
मुच्यन्तेare released, get freed
मुच्यन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootमुच्
FormPresent, Passive, Third, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
बलान्विताःendowed with strength
बलान्विताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबल + अन्वित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (PPP of √इ 'to go' with anu-: अन्वित 'endowed/possessed')
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaA
ariṁdama (addressee, unnamed in the verse)B
birds (śakunāḥ)N
net (jāla)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Entanglement (sakti) in a subtle snare leads to downfall, whereas inner strength—understood as discipline, clarity, and resolve—enables one to break bondage and attain release.
Bhīṣma illustrates his counsel with a simile: birds encounter a fine net; those that become caught perish, but the strong escape—implying that in moral and practical life, subtle traps ensnare the heedless while the steadfast can free themselves.