Shloka 21

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

त॑ राजा प्रत्युवाचेदं यत्‌ किंचिन्मां भवान्‌ वदेत्‌ । कस्मादहं न क्षमेयमाकाड्क्षन्नात्मनो हितम्‌

Transliteration

rājā pratyuvācedaṃ yat kiṃcin māṃ bhavān vadet | kasmād ahaṃ na kṣameyam ākāṅkṣann ātmano hitam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：国王答道：“你想对我说什么，尽可无惧而言。我既求自身的福祉与安稳，又怎会不宽恕你？噢，婆罗门中之最胜者，你尽管说吧。我起誓：无论你所命令或所劝诫的，我都将遵行。”

Word by Word

• सः: he/that (man)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्युवाच: replied/answered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिवच् (वच्)
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इदम्: this (speech/statement)
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• किञ्चित्: anything (at all)
• किञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किञ्चित्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वदेत्: may say / should say
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कस्मात्: from what cause? why?
• कस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• क्षमेयम्: should I forgive / would I pardon
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आकाङ्क्षन्: desiring
• Type: Verb
• Root: आकाङ्क्ष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of myself
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• हितम्: welfare, good
• हितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the king
• a Brahmin (addressed honorifically)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should welcome truthful counsel without fear or retaliation; forgiveness and receptivity to guidance are presented as practical dharma that protects one’s own welfare and the stability of rule.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s narration, the king responds to a Brahmin/ascetic by inviting him to speak freely and promising forgiveness and obedience to what is advised, signaling the king’s commitment to ethical governance and self-correction.