Shloka 7

Vipulopākhyāna—Ruci-rakṣā and Śakra’s Māyā (विपुलोपाख्यानम्—रुचिरक्षणं शक्रमाया च)

Devanagari script

अतोडन्यथा वर्तमाना: सर्वे नाहन्ति सत्क्रियाम्‌ । तस्मान्नित्यं परीक्षेत पुरुषान्‌ प्रणिधाय वै

Transliteration

atoḍa-nyathā vartamānāḥ sarve nāhanti satkriyām | tasmān nityaṃ parīkṣeta puruṣān praṇidhāya vai ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “All those who behave in a contrary manner—without the proper restraint and discipline—do not uphold true good conduct. Therefore, one should constantly examine people, keeping a watchful and attentive mind, before placing trust or responsibility in them.”

Word by Word

• अतोडन्: not striking / non-injuring
• अतोडन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतोड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वर्तमानाः: behaving, conducting themselves
• वर्तमानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत् (धातु) → वर्तमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• आहन्ति: they strike / harm / destroy
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सत्क्रियाम्: good conduct / proper action / right practice
• सत्क्रियाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that reason
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)

• नित्यम्: always, constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• परीक्षेत: one should examine / test
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पुरुषान्: men / persons
• पुरुषान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रणिधाय: having applied (one's mind), having observed attentively
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र+नि+धा (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Tumun/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Good conduct is not sustained by those who live without proper restraint and in a contrary way; therefore, one should continually test and verify people with careful attention before relying on them.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing on dharma and practical ethics; here he emphasizes prudent discernment—evaluating a person’s character and conduct—rather than granting trust automatically.