Shloka 10

अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः

Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal

Devanagari script

ऋषिणोद्दालकेनापि श्वेतकेतुर्महातपा: । मिथ्या विप्रानुपचरन्‌ संत्यक्तो दयित: सुत:,उद्दालक ऋषिने अपने प्रिय पुत्र महातपस्वी श्वेतकेतुको केवल इस अपराधसे त्याग दिया कि वह ब्राह्मणोंके साथ मिथ्या एवं कपटपूर्ण व्यवहार करता था

Transliteration

ṛṣiṇoddālakena api śvetaketur mahātapāḥ | mithyā viprān upacaran saṃtyakto dayitaḥ sutaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: Even the sage Uddālaka cast off his beloved son Śvetaketu—though a great ascetic—solely for this fault: that he dealt with brāhmaṇas in a false and deceitful manner. The episode shows that integrity and truthfulness toward the worthy are non-negotiable, even when the offender is one’s own dear child.

Word by Word

ऋषिणाby the sage

उद्दालकेनby Uddālaka

अपिalso/even

श्वेतकेतुःŚvetaketu

महातपाःgreat ascetic (one of great austerity)

मिथ्याfalsely/deceitfully

विप्रान्Brahmins

उपचरन्behaving/serving (conducting himself toward)

संत्यक्तःabandoned/renounced

दयितःbeloved

सुतःson

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Uddalaka

Shvetaketu

Brahmanas

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?

Truthful, straightforward conduct—especially toward the learned and worthy—is a central requirement of dharma; even great austerity or personal affection cannot excuse deceit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma cites an example: the sage Uddālaka renounced his own beloved son Śvetaketu because Śvetaketu behaved falsely and deceitfully toward brāhmaṇas.