Shloka 12

यथा यथा वक्ष्यसि न: करिष्यामस्तथा तथा । पालयास्मान्‌ यथान्यायं यथा माता यथा पिता,तुम हमें जैसी-जैसी आज्ञा दोगे, वैसा-ही-वैसा हम करेंगे। तुम माता-पिताके समान हमारी यथोचित रीतिसे रक्षा करो

yathā yathā vakṣyasi naḥ kariṣyāmas tathā tathā | pālayāsmān yathānyāyaṃ yathā mātā yathā pitā ||

Bhishma sagte: „Wie immer du es uns gebietest, so werden wir es tun. Beschütze uns nach Recht und Angemessenheit—wie eine Mutter, wie ein Vater.“

यथाas / in whatever manner
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
Formindeclinable (correlative adverb)
यथाjust as (again)
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
Formindeclinable (reduplicated for emphasis/correlation)
वक्ष्यसिyou will say / you will command
वक्ष्यसि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
Formfuture (simple future/luṭ), parasmaipada; 2nd person singular
नःto us / for us
नः:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Formgenitive/dative plural enclitic (asmad); 'of us/to us'
करिष्यामःwe will do
करिष्यामः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formfuture (simple future/luṭ), parasmaipada; 1st person plural
तथाso / in that manner
तथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
Formindeclinable (correlative adverb)
तथाexactly so (again)
तथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
Formindeclinable (reduplicated for emphasis/correlation)
पालयprotect / guard
पालय:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootपालय् (पाल्)
Formimperative (loṭ), parasmaipada; 2nd person singular
अस्मान्us
अस्मान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
Formaccusative plural
यथाaccording as / as
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
Formindeclinable
अन्यायम्proper rule / justice / propriety
अन्यायम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअन्याय
Formmasculine; accusative singular (used adverbially: 'according to propriety/justice')
यथाas
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
Formindeclinable (correlative)
माताmother
माता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ
Formfeminine; nominative singular
यथाas
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
Formindeclinable (correlative)
पिताfather
पिता:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
Formmasculine; nominative singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

The verse emphasizes disciplined obedience to rightful instruction and the ruler/guardian’s reciprocal duty to protect dependents according to nyāya (justice and propriety), with parental care as the ethical model.

Bhishma voices a pledge of compliance—“we will do as you command”—and simultaneously requests just protection, framing the relationship as one of guidance and guardianship akin to that of parents toward children.