Shloka 8

शक्‍्यते दुस्त्यजे<प्यर्थे चिररात्राय जीवितुम्‌ । न तु भोजनमुत्सृज्य शक्‍यं वर्तयितुं चिरम्‌,जिसको त्यागना बहुत कठिन है, उस अर्थके बिना भी मनुष्य बहुत दिनोंतक जीवित रह सकता है, परंतु भोजन छोड़ देनेपर कोई भी अधिक समयतक जीवन धारण नहीं कर सकता

śakyate dustyaje 'py arthe cirarātrāya jīvitum | na tu bhojanam utsṛjya śakyaṁ vartayituṁ ciram ||

纵使没有财富——虽说财富最难舍弃——人仍可久活;但若弃绝饮食,则无人能长久维持生命。

शक्यतेis possible
शक्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootशक्
FormPresent, Indicative, Passive, 3, Singular
दुस्त्यजेin (something) hard to abandon
दुस्त्यजे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootदुस्त्यज
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
अपिeven/also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
अर्थेin/with wealth (means)
अर्थे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
चिररात्रायfor a long time
चिररात्राय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootचिररात्र
FormFeminine, Dative, Singular
जीवितुम्to live
जीवितुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootजीव्
FormInfinitive (Tumun)
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
तुbut
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
भोजनम्food
भोजनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभोजन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उत्सृज्यhaving abandoned/given up
उत्सृज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootउत्-सृज्
FormAbsolutive (Ktva/Lyap)
शक्यम्possible
शक्यम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
वर्तयितुम्to maintain/continue (life)
वर्तयितुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormCausative infinitive (Tumun), वर्तय
चिरम्for long
चिरम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचिरम्

श्येन उवाच

Ś
śyena (hawk)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches a pragmatic ethical insight: wealth (artha) may be difficult to relinquish, yet life can continue without it; food, however, is essential for sustaining life, so decisions about duty and conduct must recognize basic bodily necessity.

In the Vana Parva’s instructional storytelling context, the hawk (śyena) speaks to make a pointed argument about necessity: renouncing possessions is one thing, but renouncing food is incompatible with long survival—framing the discussion around realistic constraints on moral choices.