Shloka 27

Devanagari script

अतुष्टि: परितापश्च शोको लोभस्तथा<क्षमा | लिज्जानि रजसस्तानि दृश्यन्ते हेत्वहेतुत:

Transliteration

atuṣṭiḥ paritāpaś ca śoko lobhas tathākṣamā | lijjāni rajasas tāni dṛśyante hetvahetutaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Discontent, inner torment, grief, greed, and also intolerance—these are the marks of rajas. They are seen arising sometimes from a clear cause and sometimes without any apparent cause.”

Word by Word

अतुष्टिःdissatisfaction

परितापःdistress, torment

चand

शोकःgrief

लोभःgreed

तथाlikewise, also

अक्षमाintolerance, impatience

लज्जाshame, modesty

निindeed (particle); also used as a preverb 'down/in'

रजसःof rajas (the quality of passion/activity)

तानिthose (things)

दृश्यन्तेare seen, are observed

हेतुby/with a cause

अहेतुतःwithout cause, causelessly

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

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

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma identifies characteristic mental states of rajas—restless passion—such as dissatisfaction, distress, grief, greed, and intolerance, noting that these can arise both with an identifiable trigger and seemingly without one. The ethical implication is to recognize these rajasic movements in oneself and restrain them through steadiness and discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and inner discipline, Bhīṣma is teaching about the guṇas (especially rajas) by listing observable symptoms. The verse functions as diagnostic guidance for understanding one’s mental condition and its moral consequences.