Shanti Parva Adhyaya 90 Shloka 2 - Mahabharata | English | Vedapath

Vyasa

Shloka 2

Adhyāya 90 — Protection of Livelihoods, Brahmanical Subsistence Norms, and Royal Oversight (राष्ट्रवृत्ति-राष्ट्रगुप्ति-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणेभ्योडतिरिक्तं च भुज्जीरन्नितरे जना: । न ब्राह्मणापराधेन हरेदन्य: कथंचन

Transliteration

bhāhmaṇebhyo 'tiriktaṃ ca bhuñjīrann itare janāḥ | na brāhmaṇāparādhena hared anyaḥ kathaṃcana ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Let other people enjoy only what remains after the Brahmanas have been duly provided for. No one should, by committing an offence against a Brahmana—namely by withholding what is due to him—take away that share in any manner.”

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणेभ्यःfrom the Brahmins

उदतिरिक्तम्left over; surplus

चand

भुञ्जीरन्should enjoy/use/consume

इतरेother (people)

जनाःpeople

नnot

ब्राह्मणापराधेनby (committing) an offense against a Brahmin

हरेत्should take away/steal

अन्यःanother (person)

कथंचनin any way; at all

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Brahmanas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should first fulfill what is due to Brahmanas; only the remainder may be used by others. Appropriating what ought to go to a Brahmana is treated as a moral offence (brāhmaṇāparādha) and is prohibited.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s dharma-instruction, Bhishma lays down a rule of rightful enjoyment and distribution: social consumption is legitimate only after the prescribed recipients (here, Brahmanas) have been properly provided for, and no one should seize their due share.