Shloka 100
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
Devanagari script
नश्यन्त्यर्थास्तथा भोगा: स्थानमैश्वर्यमेव च
Transliteration
naśyanty arthās tathā bhogāḥ sthānam aiśvaryam eva ca
Translation
Bhīṣma said: “Wealth perishes; so too do pleasures. Even one’s position and sovereignty are not lasting.”
Word by Word
नश्यन्तिperish, are destroyed
नश्यन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootनश्
Formलट् (Present), 3rd, Plural, परस्मैपदम्
अर्थाःwealth, resources
अर्थाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तथाlikewise, also
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
भोगाःenjoyments, pleasures
भोगाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभोग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्थानम्position, status, place
स्थानम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootस्थान
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
ऐश्वर्यम्sovereignty, lordship, power
ऐश्वर्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऐश्वर्य
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
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
All worldly supports—wealth, enjoyment, social rank, and political power—are inherently unstable; therefore one should not ground one’s life-choices in them but in dharma and inner steadiness.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on right conduct after the war, emphasizing the fragility of worldly attainments to encourage detachment and ethical governance.