Shloka 19

Ānṛśaṃsya, Amātya-Guṇa, and Reconciliatory Counsel (आनृशंस्य–अमात्यगुण–संधि-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

आत्मन्यपि च संदृश्यावुभी जयपराजयौ । नि:ःशेषकारिणां तात नि:शेषकरणाद्‌ भयम्‌,“वत्स! अपनेमें भी जय और पराजय दोनोंको देखना चाहिये। जो दूसरोंकी सम्पत्ति छीनकर उसके पास कुछ भी शेष नहीं रहने देते, उन्हें उस सर्वस्वापहरणरूपी पापसे अपने लिये भी सदा भय बना रहता है”

Transliteration

ātmany api ca saṃdṛśyāv ubhī jayaparājayau | niḥśeṣakāriṇāṃ tāta niḥśeṣakaraṇād bhayam ||

Translation

Bhishma sagte: „Mein Kind, auch in dir selbst sollst du beides erkennen: Sieg und Niederlage. Wer andere so völlig ihres Besitzes beraubt, dass nichts zurückbleibt, lebt in beständiger Furcht um sich selbst, geboren aus der Sünde der völligen Enteignung.“

Word by Word

आत्मनिin oneself

अपिalso/even

चand

संदृश्यhaving seen/considering

उभौboth (two)

जय-पराजयौvictory and defeat

नि:शेष-कारिणाम्of those who make (others) without remainder; of total despoilers

तातdear one/son (address)

नि:शेष-करणात्from the act of leaving nothing; from total confiscation

भयम्fear

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

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?

Bhīṣma teaches ethical restraint and inner discernment: recognize that the impulses leading to “victory” and “defeat” arise within oneself, and understand that totally depriving others of their possessions is a grave wrong that breeds continual fear and insecurity for the wrongdoer.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he warns against ruthless appropriation—especially leaving others with nothing—framing it as a sinful act whose psychological and karmic consequence is persistent fear.