Shloka 26
Devanagari script
सुतप्तं वस्तपो विप्रा: प्रसन्नेनान्तरात्मना
Transliteration
sutaptaṁ vastapo viprāḥ prasannenāntarātmanā
Translation
Bhīṣma said: “O brāhmaṇas, the austerity you have undertaken is well-heated—truly well-performed—because it is carried out with an inwardly serene heart.”
Word by Word
सुतप्तम्well-performed / well-austered (well-heated, thoroughly practiced)
सुतप्तम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-तप्त (तप् धातु, क्त)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
वःof you (your)
वः:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Plural
तपःausterity, penance
तपः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतपस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
विप्राःO brahmins
विप्राः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Vocative, Plural
प्रसन्नेनwith a serene/pleased
प्रसन्नेन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रसन्न
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
अन्तरात्मनाinner self, inward mind
अन्तरात्मना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तरात्मन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaV
viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas/sages)T
tapas (austerity)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
Austerity becomes truly effective and ethically meaningful when it is grounded in inner clarity and serenity; the state of the heart matters as much as the external practice.
Bhīṣma addresses brāhmaṇas/sages and commends their tapas, emphasizing that their discipline is ‘well-performed’ because it is accompanied by a tranquil inner self.