Shloka 16

नैते देवैर्न पितृभिर्न गन्धर्वर्न राक्षसै: । नासुरैर्न पिशाचैश्न शक्‍या जेतुं द्विजातय:,ये द्विज न तो देवताओं, न पितरों, न गन्धर्वों, न राक्षसों, न असुरों और न पिशाचोंद्वारा ही जीते जा सकते हैं

naite devair na pitṛbhir na gandharvair na rākṣasaiḥ | nāsurair na piśācaiś ca śakyā jetuṃ dvijātayaḥ ||

Bhishma said: These twice-born men cannot be conquered—not by the gods, nor by the ancestors, nor by the Gandharvas, nor by the Rākṣasas, nor by the Asuras, nor even by the Piśācas.

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एतेthese
एते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
देवैःby the gods
देवैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पितृभिःby the Pitrs/manes
पितृभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
गन्धर्वैःby Gandharvas
गन्धर्वैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगन्धर्व
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
राक्षसैःby Rakshasas
राक्षसैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootराक्षस
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
असुरैःby Asuras
असुरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअसुर
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पिशाचैःby Piśācas
पिशाचैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपिशाच
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
शक्याःpossible/able (to be)
शक्याः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
जेतुम्to conquer
जेतुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootजि
FormInfinitive (Tumun)
द्विजातयःthe twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
द्विजातयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
D
Devas
P
Pitṛs
G
Gandharvas
R
Rākṣasas
A
Asuras
P
Piśācas
D
Dvijātis (twice-born)

Educational Q&A

The verse asserts the invincibility—especially in a dharmic and moral sense—of the dvijātis who are established in Vedic conduct, restraint, and righteous living; even powerful supernatural classes are said to be unable to subdue such disciplined righteousness.

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma and proper conduct. Here he emphasizes the exceptional standing of the twice-born within the moral order, describing them as unconquerable by various divine and demonic beings.