Shloka 18
Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
Devanagari script
श्येन उवाच न वराहं न चोक्षाणं न मृगान् विविधांस्तथा । भक्षयामि महाराज कि ममान्येन केनचित्
Transliteration
śyena uvāca na varāhaṃ na cokṣāṇaṃ na mṛgān vividhāṃs tathā | bhakṣayāmi mahārāja ki mamānyena kenacit ||
Translation
鹰说道：“大王，我不吃野猪，不吃公牛，也不吃各类鹿。何必再给我别的食物？”
Word by Word
श्येनःthe hawk
श्येनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootश्येन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उवाचsaid/spoke
उवाच:
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
FormPerfect, 3rd, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
वराहम्boar
वराहम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवराह
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
नnor/not
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
उक्षाणम्bull/ox
उक्षाणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootउक्षन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
नnor/not
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
मृगान्deer/animals
मृगान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमृग
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
विधान्various
विधान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootविध
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
तथाthus/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
भक्षयामिI eat/devour
भक्षयामि:
TypeVerb
Rootभक्ष्
FormPresent, 1st, Singular
महाराजO great king
महाराज:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाराज
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
किम्what?
किम्:
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
ममof me / for me
मम:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
अन्येनby/with another (thing)
अन्येन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
केनचित्by/with anything/something
केनचित्:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootक
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
Speaker
श्येन उवाच
Characters & Entities
Ś
śyena (hawk)M
mahārāja (king, addressee)V
varāha (boar)U
ukṣāṇa (ox/bull)M
mṛga (deer/game animals)Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights svadharma (one’s own nature-bound duty): a predator’s sustenance is tied to its inherent role, raising an ethical tension between compassion and the natural order.
The hawk addresses a king and asserts that it does not eat large game like boar, ox, or various deer, implying that it seeks a different, specific prey and rejects alternative substitutes.