Shloka 3

धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः

Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement

Devanagari script

मम धर्मबलिं दत्त किं वा मां प्रतिपत्स्थथ । ते चेत्‌ तमागतं तत्र वृणुयु: कुशलं भवेत्‌

Transliteration

mama dharmabaliṁ datta kiṁ vā māṁ pratipatsthatha | te cet tam āgataṁ tatra vṛṇuyuḥ kuśalaṁ bhavet ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “Offer me the tribute that is due by dharma, or else oppose me in battle. If, upon my arrival there, the people choose to accept that incoming king as their ruler, then welfare and order will prevail for all.”

Word by Word

• मम: of me / my
• मम: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• धर्मबलिम्: lawful tribute (dharma-tribute)
• धर्मबलिम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मबलि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दत्त: give (you all)!
• दत्त: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम, बहुवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: कर्म
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रतिपत्स्थथ: did you oppose/stand against?
• प्रतिपत्स्थथ: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-स्था
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रश्न/भूतार्थ-परफेक्ट), मध्यम, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत्

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आगतम्: come/arrived
• आगतम्: विशेषण
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकारण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• वृणुयुः: they should choose
• वृणुयुः: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम, बहुवचन

• कुशलम्: welfare / well-being
• कुशलम्: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be / should be
• भवेत्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम, एकवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should seek legitimate sovereignty through dharma: either receive rightful tribute peacefully or, if resisted, meet opposition openly; the best outcome is when the people voluntarily accept the incoming king, ensuring public welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a policy of approaching a target realm and issuing a clear choice—pay lawful tribute or fight—while emphasizing that stability is achieved when the inhabitants themselves accept the arriving king as their ruler.