Shloka 10

कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः

Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative

Devanagari script

“उस समय सर्वथा निर्भय, उदार एवं विद्वान ब्राह्मणोंने बारंबार आत्मप्रशंसा करनेवाले उन नरेशको मना किया ।।

Transliteration

niṣidhyamāno 'py asakṛt pṛcchaty eva sa vai dvijān | atimānaḥ śriyā mattaṃ tam ūcur brāhmaṇās tadā ||

Translation

尽管一再被劝止，那位国王仍不停地反复诘问婆罗门。傲慢膨胀，因富贵荣华而沉醉，他始终不肯收敛。见他执拗地重复同一询问，那些通达吠陀要义、心志宏大的苦行婆罗门怒火上涌，便如此对他说道——表明自夸与骄矜招来的不是正道之教诲，而是对其德行的纠正与警策。

Word by Word

• निषिध्यमानः: being forbidden / being restrained
• निषिध्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निषिध् (धातु) → निषिध्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मणि (passive), वर्तमान (present), शानच् (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even / although
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• असकृत्: repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत्

• पृच्छति: asks
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, present, प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• द्विजान्: the brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अतिमानम्: excessive pride
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रिया: by prosperity / by wealth
• श्रिया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मत्तम्: intoxicated / arrogant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, perfect, प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणाः: the brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• dvijāḥ (Brahmins)
• a king (unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Repeated questioning driven by ego and self-praise is not genuine seeking; prosperity can intoxicate the mind, and dharmic counsel requires humility and restraint. When pride dominates, even wise teachers may respond with stern correction.

What is happening in the narrative?

A king, despite being repeatedly discouraged, keeps pressing the Brahmins with the same questions. Seeing his arrogance and wealth-intoxication, the Brahmins become angry and prepare to answer him sharply.