Shloka 1

Devanagari script

अत अष्टपञ्चाशर्दाधिकत्रिशततमोब् ध्याय: नागराजके दर्शनके लिये ब्राह्मणकी तपस्या तथा नागराजके परिवारवालोंका भोजनके लिये ब्राह्मणसे आग्रह करना भीष्म उवाच अथ तेन नरश्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणेन तपस्विना । निराहारेण वसता दु:खितास्ते भुजड़मा:

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: atha tena naraśreṣṭha brāhmaṇena tapasvinā | nirāhāreṇa vasatā duḥkhitās te bhujaṅgamāḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：随后，那位人中最胜的苦行婆罗门便留在彼处，绝食而修行苦行。因他不受食，那地方居住的诸龙蛇（那伽）深感忧苦——苦行者的誓愿与其无意间令他众受苦之间，遂显出一层关于法（dharma）的张力：常道所系的款待与往来之序，也因此被触动。

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• तेन: by him / by that
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• नरश्रेष्ठ: O best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरश्रेष्ठ
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• ब्राह्मणेन: by the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• तपस्विना: by the ascetic
• तपस्विना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• निराहारेण: without food; fasting
• निराहारेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निराहार
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• वसता: dwelling; while residing
• वसता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (वास्)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• दुःखिताः: distressed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• भुजङ्गमाः: serpents
• भुजङ्गमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजङ्गम
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• brāhmaṇa (ascetic)
• bhujaṅgamāḥ / nāgāḥ (serpents)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Austerity (tapas) is powerful, but dharma also considers the unintended suffering one’s practices may cause to other beings; ethical life requires balancing personal vows with compassion and the welfare of those affected.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that an ascetic Brahmin stays fasting in a place inhabited by serpents; his refusal to eat causes the resident nāgas to become distressed, setting up their later response and interaction with him.