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    7. विचित्रः साक्षी - Vichitrah Sakshi - Class 10 - Shemushi 2

    • Jan 21
    • 6 min read

    Updated: Jan 23

    1. Chapter Summary (Paath Saar)

    English Summary:

    This story is adapted from a work by Om Prakash Thakur and is based on a famous judgment delivered by the renowned Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee during his time as a magistrate. The story illustrates how wise people can solve complex problems using their sharp intellect and strategy.

    A poor villager earns money through hard work to send his son to college. One day, hearing that his son is ill in the hostel, the worried father sets out on foot to see him, as he cannot afford the bus fare. At night, he seeks shelter in a house. That same night, a thief enters, steals a box, and flees. The guest wakes up, chases the thief, and catches him. However, the cunning thief starts shouting "Thief! Thief!" The villagers wake up, believe the thief (who was actually the village guard), and hand the innocent guest over to the police.

    In court, the judge (Bankim Chandra) hears both sides but lacks evidence to convict either. A new case arises involving a murder, and both the accused guest and the guard are ordered to bring the corpse to court. On the way, the guard mocks the guest and confesses his crime to him, thinking no one else is listening. However, in the court, the "corpse" (who was actually a living secret agent for the judge) stands up and reveals the guard's confession. The judge acquits the innocent guest and punishes the real thief.


    Moral (Sandesh):

    Wise people can accomplish even the most difficult and complex tasks with ease by employing appropriate policy and strategy (Niti and Yukti).


    2. Sentence-by-Sentence Translation (Anuvad)

    Sanskrit Text (Split Sandhis)

    English Translation

    कश्चन निर्धनो जनः भूरि परिश्रम्य किञ्चिद् वित्तमुपार्जितवान्।

    A certain poor man earned some money by working very hard.

    तेन वित्तेन स्वपुत्रम् एकस्मिन् महाविद्यालये प्रवेशं दापयितुं सफलो जातः।

    With that money, he was successful in getting his son admitted to a college.

    एकदा स पिता तनूजस्य रुग्णतामाकर्ण्य व्याकुलो जातः पुत्रं द्रष्टुं च प्रस्थितः।

    Once, hearing about his son's illness, that father became worried and set out to see his son.

    परमर्थकार्येन पीडितः स बसयानं विहाय पदातिरेव प्राचलत्।

    But afflicted by financial scarcity, he left the bus and started walking on foot.

    पदातिक्रमेण संचलन् सायं समयेऽप्यसौ गन्तव्याद् दूरे आसीत्।

    Walking continuously, even by evening he was far from his destination.

    तस्यामेव रात्रौ तस्मिन् गृहे कश्चन चौरः गृहाभ्यन्तरं प्रविष्टः।

    That very night, a thief entered inside that house.

    चौरस्य पादध्वनिना प्रबुद्धोऽतिथिः चौरशङ्कया तमन्वधावत् अगृह्णाच्च...

    Woken up by the sound of the thief's footsteps, the guest chased him suspecting him to be a thief and caught him...

    चौरः एव उच्चैः क्रोशितुमारभत "चौरोऽयं चौरोऽयम्" इति।

    The thief himself started shouting loudly, "This is a thief! This is a thief!"

    तस्य तारस्वरेण प्रबुद्धाः ग्रामवासिनः... वराकमतिथिमेव च चौरं मत्वाऽभर्त्सयन्।

    Woken by his loud voice, the villagers... thinking the poor guest himself was the thief, scolded/beat him.

    यद्यपि ग्रामस्य आरक्षी एव चौर आसीत्।

    Although the village guard himself was the thief.

    न्यायाधीशो बंकिमचन्द्रः उभाभ्यां पृथक् पृथक् विवरणं श्रुतवान्।

    Judge Bankim Chandra heard the details from both separately.

    तस्य (शवस्य) क्रन्दनं निशम्य मुदित आरक्षी तमुवाच-

    Hearing his (the guest's) crying, the happy guard said to him-

    'रे दुष्ट! तस्मिन् दिने त्वयाऽहं चोरिताया मञ्जूषाया ग्रहणाद् वारितः।

    "O wicked one! On that day, you prevented me from taking the stolen box.

    इदानीं निजकृत्यस्य फलं भुङ्क्ष्व।

    Now suffer the result of your own deed.

    अस्मिन् चौर्याभियोगे त्वं वर्षत्रयस्य कारादण्डं लप्स्यसे' इति प्रोच्य उच्चैः अहसत्।

    In this theft charge, you will get a jail term of three years," saying this, he laughed loudly.

    स शवः प्रावारकमपसार्य न्यायाधीशमभिवाद्य निवेदितवान्...

    That corpse, removing the covering cloth, saluted the judge and submitted...

    न्यायाधीशः आरक्षिणे कारादण्डमादिश्य तं जनं ससम्मानं मुक्तवान्।

    The judge ordered a jail term for the guard and released that man with honor.


    3. Shloka Analysis

    Shloka 1 (End of Chapter)

    दुष्कराण्यपि कर्माणि मतिवैभवशालिनः।

    नीतिं युक्तिं समालम्ब्य लीलयैव प्रकुर्वते॥

    • Anvaya: मतिवैभवशालिनः नीतिं युक्तिं (च) समालम्ब्य दुष्कराणि अपि कर्माणि लीलया एव प्रकुर्वते।

    • English Meaning: Those endowed with great intellect (the wise) accomplish even difficult tasks playfully (very easily) by resorting to proper policy and strategy.


    4. Word Meanings (Kathin Shabdarth)

    1. भूरि (Bhuri) = Plenty / A lot (अत्यधिकम्)

    2. उपार्जितवान् (Uparjitavan) = Earned (अर्जनं कृतवान्)

    3. तनुजः (Tanujah) = Son (पुत्रः)

    4. निशान्धकारे (Nishandhakare) = In the darkness of night (रात्रौ अन्धकारे)

    5. विजने (Vijane) = Lonely / Desolate (एकान्ते)

    6. पदातिः (Padatih) = Pedestrian / On foot (पादाभ्यां चलन्)

    7. मञ्जूषा (Manjusha) = Box / Chest (पेटिका)

    8. आरक्षी (Arakshi) = Guard / Policeman (रक्षकः/सिपाही)

    9. अभियुक्तः (Abhiyuktah) = Accused (दोषी)

    10. शवम् (Shavam) = Corpse / Dead body (मृतशरीरम्)


    5. Competency-Based Assessment

    A. Question Construction (Prashna Nirman)

    Sentence

    Question

    Explanation

    पुत्रं द्रष्टुं सः प्रस्थितः।

    कं द्रष्टुं सः प्रस्थितः?

    Used 'Kam' (Whom) because 'Putram' is masculine accusative singular.

    करुणापरः गृही तस्मै आश्रयं प्रायच्छत्।

    कीदृशः गृही तस्मै आश्रयं प्रायच्छत्?

    Used 'Kidrishah' (What kind of) to ask about the adjective 'Karunaparah'.

    चौरस्य पादध्वनिना अतिथिः प्रबुद्धः।

    कस्य पादध्वनिना अतिथिः प्रबुद्धः?

    Used 'Kasya' (Whose) because 'Chaurasya' is masculine genitive singular.

    न्यायाधीशः बंकिमचन्द्रः आसीत्।

    कः बंकिमचन्द्रः आसीत्?

    Used 'Kah' (Who) because 'Nyayadhishah' is masculine nominative singular.

    स भारवेदनया क्रन्दति स्म।

    स कया क्रन्दति स्म?

    Used 'Kaya' (By what) because 'Bharavedanaya' is feminine instrumental singular.

    उभौ शवं चत्वरे स्थापितवन्तौ।

    उभौ शवं कुत्र/कस्मिन् स्थापितवन्तौ?

    Used 'Kutra' (Where) or 'Kasmin' for the location 'Chatvare'.

    B. Bhashik Karyam (Linguistic Work)

    1. Question: In the sentence "स बसयानं विहाय पदातिरेव प्राचलत्", what is the suffix (Pratyaya) in the word विहाय?

      • Answer: ल्यप् (Lyap)

      • Explanation: 'Vi' (prefix) + 'Ha' (root) + 'Lyap' (suffix) = Vihaya (Having left/abandoning).


    2. Question: In "कृशकायः कः आसीत्?", identify the Visheshan (Adjective).

      • Answer: कृशकायः (Lean-bodied)

      • Explanation: It describes the physical condition of the accused (Abhiyukta).


    3. Question: In the sentence "तौ अग्रिमे दिने उपस्थातुम् आदिष्टवान्", what is the Kriya Padam (Verb)?

      • Answer: आदिष्टवान् (Ordered)

      • Explanation: This is the main action performed by the subject (the judge).


    4. Question: Write a synonym for the word "विपुलम्" from the text.

      • Answer: भूरि (Bhuri)

      • Explanation: Both words mean 'plenty', 'much', or 'abundant'.


    6. Subjective Q&A (Pathit Avabodhanam)

    A. Ekpaden Uttarat (One Word Answers)

    • Q: कीदृशे प्रदेशे पदयात्रा न सुखावहा? (In what kind of place is walking not safe/pleasant?)

      • Ans: विजने (In a desolate/lonely place).


    • Q: अतिथिः केन प्रबुद्धः? (By what did the guest wake up?)

      • Ans: पादध्वनिना (By the sound of footsteps).


    • Q: कृशकायः कः आसीत्? (Who was lean-bodied?)

      • Ans: अभियुक्तः (The accused guest).


    • Q: न्यायाधीशः कस्मै कारागारदण्डम् आदिष्टवान्? (For whom did the judge order jail punishment?)

      • Ans: आरक्षिणे (For the guard).


    B. Purnavakyen Uttarat (Full Sentence Answers)

    • Q: निर्धनः जनः कथं वित्तम् उपार्जितवान्? (How did the poor man earn money?)

      • Ans: निर्धनः जनः भूरि परिश्रम्य वित्तम् उपार्जितवान्। (The poor man earned money by working very hard).


    • Q: जनः किमर्थं पदातिः गच्छति? (Why does the man go on foot?)

      • Ans: परमर्थकार्येन पीडितः स बसयानं विहाय पदातिरेव गच्छति। (Afflicted by financial scarcity, he left the bus and went on foot).


    • Q: मतिवैभवशालिनः दुष्कराणि कार्याणि कथं साधयन्ति? (How do wise people accomplish difficult tasks?)

      • Ans: मतिवैभवशालिनः दुष्कराणि कार्याणि नीतिं युक्तिं च समालम्ब्य लीलयैव साधयन्ति। (Wise people accomplish difficult tasks easily/playfully by resorting to policy and

        strategy).


    7. Integrated Grammar (Vyakaran)


    A. Sandhi (Joining/Splitting)

    1. पदातिरेव = पदातिः + एव (Visarga Sandhi - Rutvam).

    2. निशान्धकारे = निशा + अन्धकारे (Swar Sandhi - Dirgha).

    3. लीलयैव = लीलया + एव (Swar Sandhi - Vriddhi).

    4. यदुक्तम् = यत् + उक्तम् (Vyanjan Sandhi - Jashatva, 't' becomes 'd').

    5. प्रबुद्धोऽतिथिः = प्रबुद्धः + अतिथिः (Visarga Sandhi - Utvam).


    B. Samas (Compounds)

    1. हानिकरः = हानिं करोति इति (Upapada Tatpurusha).

    2. गृह्णाभ्यन्तरम् = गृहस्य अभ्यन्तरम् (Shashti Tatpurusha).

    3. काष्ठपटलम् = काष्ठस्य पटलम् (Shashti Tatpurusha).


    C. Pratyaya (Suffixes)

    1. प्रस्थितः = प्र + स्था + क्त (Kta - Past Participle).

    2. द्रष्टुम् = दृश् + तुमुन् (Tumun - Infinitive of purpose).

    3. विहाय = वि + हा + ल्यप् (Lyap - Gerund).


    8. Event Sequencing (Ghatnakram)

    Jumbled Sentences:

    1. चौरः आरक्षी एव आसीत्।

    2. न्यायाधीशः आरक्षिणे कारादण्डम् आदिष्टवान्।

    3. निर्धनः जनः वित्तम् उपार्जितवान्।

    4. तौ शवं स्कन्धेन वहन्तौ।

    5. अतिथिः चौरशङ्कया आरक्षिणम् अन्वधावत्।

    6. पुत्रं द्रष्टुं सः प्रस्थितः।


    Correct Order:

    1. निर्धनः जनः वित्तम् उपार्जितवान्। (The poor man earned money.)

    2. पुत्रं द्रष्टुं सः प्रस्थितः। (He set out to see his son.)

    3. अतिथिः चौरशङ्कया आरक्षिणम् अन्वधावत्। (The guest chased the guard suspecting him to be a thief.)

    4. चौरः आरक्षी एव आसीत्। (The guard himself was the thief.)

    5. तौ शवं स्कन्धेन वहन्तौ। (Both carried the corpse on their shoulders.)

    6. न्यायाधीशः आरक्षिणे कारादण्डम् आदिष्टवान्। (The judge ordered jail for the guard.)


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