Shloka 17

Śiśupāla-vākya: Bhīṣma-nindā and the ‘Haṃsa’ Exemplum (शिशुपालवाक्यम् — भीष्मनिन्दा, हंसदृष्टान्तः)

Devanagari script

गुणै्वद्धानतिक्रम्य हरिरच्यतमो मतः । ज्ञानवृद्धो द्विजातीनां क्षत्रियाणां बलाधिक:

Transliteration

guṇair vṛddhān atikramya harir acyatamo mataḥ | jñāna-vṛddho dvijātīnāṁ kṣatriyāṇāṁ balādhikaḥ ||

Translation

Considerando su excelencia en virtudes, hemos dejado de lado la mera antigüedad y hemos tenido a Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) por el más digno de honor. Entre los dos veces nacidos, el superior en conocimiento es tenido por el más venerable; entre los kṣatriyas, el que sobrepasa a los demás en fuerza es juzgado el más apto para la reverencia.

Word by Word

• {'guṇaiḥ': 'by virtues, qualities, excellences', 'vṛddhān': 'elders

• those advanced in age/seniority', 'atikramya': 'having overstepped

• having gone beyond', 'hariḥ': 'Hari

• a name of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa', 'acyatamaḥ': 'the most unshakable/infallible

• superlative of Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa)', 'mataḥ': 'considered

• held to be', 'jñāna-vṛddhaḥ': 'one advanced/superior in knowledge', 'dvijātīnām': 'of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas)', 'kṣatriyāṇām': 'of kṣatriyas (warrior-rulers)', 'balādhikaḥ': 'one exceeding in strength

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa/Acyuta)
• Dvijāti (twice-born classes)
• Kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Honor should be grounded in merit: among the twice-born, superior knowledge warrants reverence; among kṣatriyas, superior strength and capability warrant honor. Bhīṣma applies this principle to justify giving foremost honor to Kṛṣṇa even over elders.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the royal assembly context, Bhīṣma explains why Kṛṣṇa is chosen for the highest honor: not because of age or seniority, but because his virtues and excellence make him the most worthy recipient.