Shloka 3

Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)

Devanagari script

दैवे पूर्व प्रकृपिते मानुषे कालचोदिते । तद्विद्वांसोनुपश्यन्ति ज्ञानदिव्येन चक्षुषा,कालसे प्रेरित हुए मनुष्यपर पहले दैवका प्रकोप होता है। उसे विद्वान्‌ पुरुष जब ज्ञानमयी दिव्यदृष्टिसे देख लेते हैं, तब उसके प्रतीकारको जाननेवाले वे पुरुष उसके प्रायश्चित्तका विधान--जप, होम आदि मांगलिक कृत्य करते हैं और उस अहितकारक दैवी उपद्रवको शान्त कर देते हैं

Transliteration

bhaṣma uvāca | daive pūrvaṁ prakupite mānuṣe kālacodite | tad vidvāṁso ’nupaśyanti jñānadivyena cakṣuṣā ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : Lorsque la puissance divine s’irrite d’abord, puis que les hommes sont poussés en avant par le Temps, les sages le discernent par l’œil divin de la connaissance. Ayant compris les contre-mesures justes, ils prescrivent des rites d’expiation et de bon augure—tels que la récitation de mantras et les offrandes au feu—et apaisent ainsi cette atteinte divine et funeste.

Word by Word

दैवेin/with regard to the divine (factor)

पूर्वम्first, beforehand

प्रकृपितेwhen (it is) enraged/angered

मानुषेin/with regard to the human (sphere)

कालचोदितेwhen impelled by time

तत्that (thing/event)

विद्वांसःthe learned (men)

अनुपश्यन्तिperceive/observe (clearly)

ज्ञानदिव्येनby (a) knowledge-and-divine (i.e., knowledge-filled divine)

चक्षुषाwith the eye; with vision

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Kāla (Time)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Adverse events are seen as arising from a conjunction of divine disturbance (daiva) and the compulsion of Time (kāla). The wise respond not with panic or blame, but with clear discernment and dharmic remedies—especially expiatory and auspicious rites—aimed at restoring harmony.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he explains how learned people interpret calamity: they recognize the signs of a divine affliction and Time’s pressure upon human affairs, then recommend appropriate ritual and ethical countermeasures (e.g., japa and homa) to mitigate the harm.