Shloka 4
Devanagari script
ब्राह्मणा: सर्वलोकानां महान्तो धर्मसेतव: । धनत्यागाभिरामाक्ष वाक्संयमरताक्षू ये
Transliteration
brāhmaṇāḥ sarvalokānāṁ mahānto dharmasetavaḥ | dhanatyāgābhirāmāś ca vāksaṁyamaratāś ca ye ||
Translation
Bhishma said: “The Brahmins are great—like bridges that uphold the boundaries of dharma for all worlds. They find joy in renouncing wealth, and they are devoted to restraint of speech.”
Word by Word
ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins
ब्राह्मणाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सर्वलोकानाम्of all worlds/people
सर्वलोकानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वलोक
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
महान्तःgreat
महान्तः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
धर्मसेतवःbridges/boundaries of dharma
धर्मसेतवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मसेतु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
धनत्यागाभिरामाःdelighting in renunciation of wealth
धनत्यागाभिरामाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधनत्यागाभिराम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वाक्संयमरताःengaged in restraint of speech
वाक्संयमरताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवाक्संयमरत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
येwho
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaB
BrahmanasCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Society’s moral order is safeguarded by those who embody dharma through renunciation and disciplined speech; true greatness is shown by giving up wealth and restraining one’s words.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he praises the Brahmanas as guardians of ethical boundaries, highlighting their ideals of non-attachment to wealth and careful, restrained speech.