Shloka 18

पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient

Devanagari script

चित्रायुधांश्षाप्पजयन्नेते कृष्णाजिनध्वजा: । प्रक्षिप्पाथ च कुम्भान्‌ वै पारगामिनमारभेत्‌

Transliteration

citrāyudhān śāpajayann ete kṛṣṇājinadhvajāḥ | prakṣipyātha ca kumbhān vai pāragāminam ārabhet ||

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: Aunque aquellos guerreros portaban muchas clases de armas espléndidas, estos brāhmanes—que llevaban como emblema la piel del antílope negro—los vencieron. Por ello, un kṣatriya debe iniciar los ritos orientados al más allá ofreciendo en don a los brāhmanes cántaros (kumbhas) llenos de agua.

Word by Word

• {'citrāyudhān': 'those possessing variegated/splendid weapons', 'jayann': 'conquering, overcoming', 'ete': 'these', 'kṛṣṇājina': 'black antelope skin (a Brahminical ascetic emblem)', 'dhvajāḥ': 'having as a banner/mark

• bearing as an emblem', 'prakṣipya': 'having offered/placed (as a gift/oblation), having presented', 'kumbhān': 'jars, pitchers (especially water-pots used in dāna/rites)', 'vai': 'indeed, surely', 'pāragāminam': 'leading to the further shore

• conducive to the next world (paraloka)', 'ārabhet': 'should begin, should undertake'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• brāhmaṇāḥ (Brahmins)
• kṣatriyaḥ (Kshatriya)
• kṛṣṇājina (black antelope skin)
• dhvaja (emblem/banner)
• kumbha (water-filled jar)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma emphasizes that spiritual authority and dharmic power (symbolized by the Brahmins’ kṛṣṇājina) can prevail over mere martial display, and he prescribes kumbha-dāna—gifting water-filled jars to Brahmins—as a kṣatriya’s proper way to commence acts intended for merit in the next world.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma cites an illustrative contrast: warriors with many impressive weapons are nevertheless defeated by Brahmins identified by the black antelope-skin emblem; from this he draws a practical injunction about beginning otherworldly, merit-seeking undertakings through a specific charitable rite—donating water-filled jars to Brahmins.