Shloka 175

Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

यथा पुष्करपर्णस्थं जल॑ तत्पर्णमस्पृशत्‌ । तिष्ठत्यस्पृशती तद्वत्‌ त्वयि वत्स्यामि मैथिल

Transliteration

yathā puṣkaraparṇasthaṃ jalaṃ tatparṇam aspṛśat | tiṣṭhaty aspṛśatī tadvat tvayi vatsyāmi maithila mithilānareśa ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，弥提罗的王者，迈提拉啊！正如水停在莲叶之上，却并不真正触及莲叶；我也将住在你之内，而不触及你。”

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पुष्करपर्णस्थम्: situated on a lotus-leaf
• पुष्करपर्णस्थम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्करपर्णस्थ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• पर्णम्: leaf
• पर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्ण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्पृशत्: did not touch
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्पृशती: not touching
• अस्पृशती: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्पृशत्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तद्वत्: likewise/in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत्

• त्वयि: in you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Locative, Singular

• वत्स्यामि: I shall dwell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मैथिल: O Maithila (king of Mithilā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथिल
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मिथिलानरेश: O king of Mithilā
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथिलानरेश
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Maithila (Janaka)
• Mithilā
• lotus leaf (puṣkara-parṇa)
• water (jala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One can remain engaged in life and duty while staying inwardly unattached—like water on a lotus leaf—preserving purity, restraint, and freedom from clinging.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses the king of Mithilā (Maithila/Janaka) and uses the lotus-leaf metaphor to describe dwelling ‘within’ or among another’s sphere without being tainted or entangled—emphasizing disciplined, non-possessive association.