Shloka 9

ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins

Devanagari script

तुल्यरूपप्रभावाणां बलिनां युद्धशालिनाम्‌ । धनुर्वेदे च वेदे च सर्वत्रैव कृतश्रमा:

Transliteration

tulyarūpaprabhāvāṇāṃ balināṃ yuddhaśālinām | dhanurvede ca vede ca sarvatraiva kṛtaśramāḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “They were alike in form and prowess—strong men, accomplished in the arts of war—who had exerted themselves in every discipline, in the science of archery as well as in the Veda.”

Word by Word

• तुल्यरूपप्रभावाणाम्: of those having equal form and prowess
• तुल्यरूपप्रभावाणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य-रूप-प्रभाव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• बलिनाम्: of the strong
• बलिनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• युद्धशालिनाम्: of those skilled in battle
• युद्धशालिनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धशालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• धनुर्वेदे: in the science of archery
• धनुर्वेदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुर्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वेदे: in the Veda / sacred knowledge
• वेदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सर्वत्र: everywhere / in all respects
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कृतश्रमा: having undertaken exertion; well-trained
• कृतश्रमा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतश्रमा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Dhanurveda
• Veda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True excellence is grounded in sustained effort and broad training: strength and martial skill (Dhanurveda) should be complemented by sacred learning (Veda), indicating an ideal of disciplined, well-rounded capability aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a group of men (warriors) characterized by comparable appearance and prowess, emphasizing that they are not merely strong fighters but have labored in comprehensive training—both in warfare and in Vedic study.