Shloka 24

कपोत-लुब्धकसंवादः — Hunter’s Remorse and Renunciatory Resolve

Devanagari script

अनव्यवदहितं यो वा नेदं वाक्यमुपाश्रुते । उग्रायैव हि सृष्टोडसि कर्मणे न त्वमीक्षसे

Transliteration

anavyavadahitaṃ yo vā nedaṃ vākyam upāśṛṇute | ugrāyaiva hi sṛṣṭo ’si karmaṇe na tvam īkṣase ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “If you do not accept—indeed, if you do not properly heed—this counsel of mine, then your conduct is not fitting. For you have been fashioned for stern, forceful action; yet you fail to keep this truth in view.”

Word by Word

• {'anavyavadahitam': 'unobstructed

• plainly (also: without interruption)', 'yo vā': 'whoever

• if you (indeed)', 'na': 'not', 'idam': 'this', 'vākyam': 'statement

• instruction', 'upāśṛṇute': 'listens to attentively

• heeds', 'ugrāya': 'to the fierce/harsh

• to the stern', 'eva': 'indeed

• precisely', 'hi': 'for

• because', 'sṛṣṭaḥ asi': 'you are created/formed', 'karmaṇe': 'for action

• for a deed/duty', 'na tvam īkṣase': 'you do not see/consider

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma stresses role-based dharma: a kshatriya is constituted for decisive, even stern action when duty demands it. Ignoring sound counsel and acting inconsistently with one’s ordained responsibility is ethically improper.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs the listener (contextually a ruler/warrior) on righteous conduct. Here he rebukes the refusal to heed his ethical counsel, reminding the addressee of the warrior’s nature and duty toward firm action.