Shloka 149
Devanagari script
आत्मनश्वपलो नास्ति कुतो<न्येषां भविष्यति
Transliteration
ātmanaś capalo nāsti kuto 'nyeṣāṁ bhaviṣyati
Translation
Bhīṣma said: “If even one’s own self is not fickle, how could fickleness arise in others?”
Word by Word
आत्मनःof oneself
आत्मनः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
अपलःsteadfast; not fickle
अपलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअपल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अस्तिis/exists
अस्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormPresent, Third, Singular
कुतःwhence/how (then)
कुतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुतः
अन्येषाम्of others
अन्येषाम्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
भविष्यतिwill be
भविष्यति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormSimple Future, Third, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaĀ
ātman (self)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that moral stability begins with one’s own mind: if one is steady and not wavering within, one will not project instability onto others, and one’s dealings with others will be grounded in self-mastery.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct. Here he emphasizes inner steadiness (non-fickleness) as a foundation for ethical judgment and social harmony.