Shloka 63

Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)

Devanagari script

वयं तु ब्राह्मणा नाम मृदुदण्डा: कृपालव: । स्वस्ति चेच्छाम भवत: परेषां च यथा55त्मन:,महाराज! हमलोग ब्राह्मण हैं। हमारा दण्ड भी बहुत कोमल होता है। हम स्वभावसे ही दयालु होते हैं; अत: अपने ही समान आपका और दूसरोंका भी भला चाहते हैं

Transliteration

vayaṁ tu brāhmaṇā nāma mṛdu-daṇḍāḥ kṛpālavaḥ | svasti cecchāma bhavataḥ pareṣāṁ ca yathātmanā, mahārāja |

Translation

ভীষ্মে ক’লে—আমি ব্ৰাহ্মণ; আমাৰ দণ্ড স্বভাৱত মৃদু, আৰু আমি কৃপালু। সেয়ে, মহাৰাজ, আমি যেনেকৈ নিজৰ মঙ্গল বিচাৰোঁ, তেনেকৈ আপোনাৰ আৰু আনসকলৰো মঙ্গল বিচাৰোঁ।

Word by Word

वयम्we

तुbut/indeed

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

नामby name/indeed (emphatic)

मृदु-दण्डाःhaving a gentle staff/punishment; mild in chastisement

कृपालवःcompassionate

स्वस्तिwelfare/auspicious good

चand

इच्छामःwe desire/wish

भवतःof you/your

परेषाम्of others

चand

यथाas/just as

आत्मनःof oneself/our own

महाराजO great king

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Mahārāja (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira in Śānti Parva context)

Brāhmaṇas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma highlights the Brahmin ideal of gentle correction and compassion: true guidance seeks the welfare of the ruler and all beings, treating others’ good as one’s own.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva instruction, Bhishma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) and frames the Brahmins’ role as benevolent advisers—mild in punitive measures and motivated by universal welfare.