Hitopadesha [sanskrit]

8,857 words

The Sanskrit edition of the Hitopadesha referencing the English translation and grammatical analysis. Written by Narayana in the 8th century, the Hitopadesha represents a collection of short stories involving human and animal characters, instructing the reader on basic ancient Indian moral values and ethical conduct. Alternative titles: हितोपदेशः, Hitopadeśa, Hitopadesa.

Verse 4.4

सुहृदां हित-कामानां यो वाक्यं नाभिनन्दति ।
स कूर्म इव दुर्बुद्धिः काष्ठाद् भ्रष्टो विनश्यति ॥ ४ ॥

suhṛdāṃ hita-kāmānāṃ yo vākyaṃ nābhinandati |
sa kūrma iva durbuddhiḥ kāṣṭhād bhraṣṭo vinaśyati || 4 ||

The English translation of Hitopadesha Verse 4.4 is contained in the book The Hitopadesa of Sri Narayana Pandita by Satya Narayana dasa. This book is not available online so in order to read the full text and translation you should buy the book:

Buy now! English translation by Satya Narayana dasa (1997)

Glossary of Sanskrit terms

Note: This extracts Sanskrit terms and links to English definitions from the glossary, based on an experimental segmentation of verse (4.4). Some terms could be superfluous while some might not be mentioned. Click on the word to show English definitions.

Suhrid, Hita, Kama, Yah, Vakya, Nabh, Nabhi, Nandat, Kurma, Iva, Durbuddhi, Kashtha, Bhrashta, Vina, Shyat,

Analysis of Sanskrit grammar

Note: this is an experimental feature and only shows the first possible analysis of the Sanskrit text (Hitopadesha Verse 4.4). If the system was successful in segmenting the sentence, you will see of which words it is made up of, generally consisting of Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Participles and Indeclinables. Click on the link to show all possible derivations of the word.

  • Line 1: “suhṛdāṃ hita-kāmānāṃ yo vākyaṃ nābhinandati
  • suhṛdām -
  • suhṛd (noun, feminine)
    [genitive plural]
    suhṛd (noun, masculine)
    [genitive plural]
  • hita -
  • hita (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    hita (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    hi -> hita (participle, masculine)
    [vocative single from √hi class 5 verb]
    hi -> hita (participle, neuter)
    [vocative single from √hi class 5 verb]
  • kāmānām -
  • kāma (noun, masculine)
    [genitive plural]
    kāma (noun, neuter)
    [genitive plural]
    kāmā (noun, feminine)
    [genitive plural]
  • yo* -
  • yaḥ (indeclinable relative)
    [indeclinable relative]
    ya (noun, masculine)
    [nominative single]
    yaḥ (pronoun, masculine)
    [nominative single]
  • vākyam -
  • vākya (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [nominative single], [accusative single]
    vac -> vākya (participle, masculine)
    [accusative single from √vac class 2 verb], [accusative single from √vac class 3 verb]
    vac -> vākya (participle, neuter)
    [nominative single from √vac class 2 verb], [accusative single from √vac class 2 verb], [nominative single from √vac class 3 verb], [accusative single from √vac class 3 verb]
    vak -> vākya (participle, masculine)
    [accusative single from √vak class 1 verb]
    vak -> vākya (participle, neuter)
    [nominative single from √vak class 1 verb], [accusative single from √vak class 1 verb]
  • nābhi -
  • nābhi (noun, feminine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    nābhi (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [adverb]
    nābhī (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [vocative single]
    nābhī (noun, feminine)
    [compound], [adverb], [vocative single]
    nābhī (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [adverb], [nominative single], [vocative single], [accusative single]
    nābh (noun, feminine)
    [locative single]
  • nandati -
  • nand -> nandat (participle, masculine)
    [locative single from √nand class 1 verb]
    nand -> nandat (participle, neuter)
    [locative single from √nand class 1 verb]
    nand (verb class 1)
    [present active third single]
  • Line 2: “sa kūrma iva durbuddhiḥ kāṣṭhād bhraṣṭo vinaśyati
  • sa -
  • sa (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    sa (noun, masculine)
    [nominative single]
  • kūrma* -
  • kūrma (noun, masculine)
    [nominative single]
  • iva -
  • iva (indeclinable adverb)
    [indeclinable adverb]
    iva (indeclinable)
    [indeclinable]
  • durbuddhiḥ -
  • durbuddhi (noun, feminine)
    [nominative single]
    durbuddhi (noun, masculine)
    [nominative single]
  • kāṣṭhād -
  • kāṣṭha (noun, masculine)
    [adverb], [ablative single]
    kāṣṭha (noun, neuter)
    [adverb], [ablative single]
  • bhraṣṭo* -
  • bhraṣṭa (noun, masculine)
    [nominative single]
  • vina -
  • vina (noun, masculine)
    [compound], [vocative single]
    vina (noun, neuter)
    [compound], [vocative single]
  • śyati -
  • śā -> śyat (participle, masculine)
    [locative single from √śā class 4 verb]
    śā -> śyat (participle, neuter)
    [locative single from √śā class 4 verb]
    śā (verb class 4)
    [present active third single]

Other editions:

Also see the following editions of the Sanskrit text or (alternative) English translations of the Hitopadesha Verse 4.4

Cover of edition (2015)

The Hitopadesa of Narayana
by M. R. Kale (2015)

Edited with A Sanskrit Commentary "Marma-Prakasika" and Notes in English; 9788120806023; Published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Buy now!
Cover of Gujarati edition

Hitopadesa (in Gujarati)
by Dr. Narayan M. Kansara (2007)

[હિતોપદેશ]—[ડો. નારાયણ એમ. કંસારા] Sanskrit Text With Gujarati Translation; Published by Saraswati Pustak Bhandar, Ahmedabad

Buy now!

Preview of verse 4.4 in Gujarati sript:
સુહૃદાં હિત-કામાનાં યો વાક્યં નાભિનન્દતિ ।
સ કૂર્મ ઇવ દુર્બુદ્ધિઃ કાષ્ઠાદ્ ભ્રષ્ટો વિનશ્યતિ ॥ ૪ ॥

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