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Shloka 10

Śānti Parva, Adhyāya 52 — Bhīṣma’s Humility Before Kṛṣṇa and the Granting of Boons

तत्‌ क्षमस्व महाबाहो न ब्रूयां किंचिदच्युत । त्वत्संनिधौ च सीदेद्धि वाचस्पतिरपि ब्रुवन्‌

tat kṣamasva mahābāho na brūyāṃ kiñcid acyuta | tvat-saṃnidhau ca sīded dhi vācaspatiḥ api bruvan ||

“请宽恕我,伟臂者;不堕者阿周陀啊,我一句也说不出来。诚然,即便语主瓦恰斯帕提(布里哈斯帕提)在你面前开讲,也可能踌躇失措——何况我这点微末之能!”

तत्that (offence/act)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
क्षमस्वforgive (you)
क्षमस्व:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootक्षम् (क्षमुँ)
Formimperative, 2, singular, ātmanepada
महाबाहोO mighty-armed one
महाबाहो:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाबाहु
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
ब्रूयाम्I should speak / I could say
ब्रूयाम्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (ब्रूञ्)
Formoptative, 1, singular, parasmaipada
किम्anything / what
किम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
चित्even, at all (enclitic)
चित्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचित्
अच्युतO Acyuta (Krishna)
अच्युत:
TypeNoun
Rootअच्युत
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
त्वत्of you / your
त्वत्:
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद् (त्वद्)
Formgenitive, singular
सन्निधौin (your) presence
सन्निधौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसन्निधि
Formmasculine, locative, singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
सीदेत्would falter / would be depressed
सीदेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootसद् (षदँ)
Formoptative, 3, singular, parasmaipada
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
वाचस्पतिःBrihaspati (lord of speech)
वाचस्पतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवाचस्पति
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
अपिeven
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
ब्रुवन्speaking
ब्रुवन्:
TypeVerb
Rootब्रू (ब्रूञ्)
Formpresent active, masculine, nominative, singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
A
Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa)
V
Vācaspati (Bṛhaspati)
M
Mahābāhu (epithet addressed to the listener)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights humility and reverent restraint in speech: in the presence of a supremely revered figure (Acyuta), even the greatest master of eloquence could falter, so one should speak with modesty and awareness of one’s limits.

Vaiśampāyana addresses Acyuta with deference, asking forgiveness and expressing inability to speak adequately; he underscores this by saying that even Vācaspati (Bṛhaspati), famed as lord of speech, might become hesitant in Acyuta’s presence.