Shloka 10

Devanagari script

सापत्यो निरपत्यो वा मुक्तश्वर यथासुखम्‌ | इन्द्रियैरिन्द्रियार्थास्त्वमनु भूय यथाविधि

Transliteration

sāpatyo nirapatyo vā muktaśvara yathāsukham | indriyair indriyārthās tvam anubhūya yathāvidhi ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “Whether you have offspring or are without offspring, live at ease, free from anxiety. Enjoy the objects of the senses through the senses, but do so in the proper manner—according to right rule and restraint.”

Word by Word

सापत्यःhaving offspring

निरपत्यःwithout offspring

वाor

मुक्तःfreed, liberated

ईश्वरःmaster, lord (self-controlled one)

यथाas, according to

सुखम्comfort, ease, happiness

इन्द्रियैःby/with the senses

इन्द्रियार्थान्objects of the senses

त्वम्you

अनुभूयhaving experienced/enjoyed

यथाas, according to

विधिrule, proper manner

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 teaches that worldly enjoyment is not rejected outright; it should be pursued without anxiety and strictly within dharmic limits—regulated, appropriate, and disciplined (yathāvidhi).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising the listener on proper living: regardless of having children or not, one should maintain inner freedom from worry and engage sense-objects only in a lawful, restrained way.