Shloka 173

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

शत्रोरनार्य भूतस्य क्लिष्टस्य क्षुधितस्यथ च

Transliteration

śatror anārya-bhūtasya kliṣṭasya kṣudhitasya ca

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Même face à un ennemi tombé dans une conduite indigne —accablé, et même affamé— il faut peser sa réponse à la lumière du dharma, et non selon la seule hostilité.»

Word by Word

• शत्रोः: of the enemy
• शत्रोः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अनार्यभूतस्य: of one who has become ignoble (base)
• अनार्यभूतस्य: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनार्यभूत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• क्लिष्टस्य: of the afflicted/distressed
• क्लिष्टस्य: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लिष्ट
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• क्षुधितस्य: of the hungry
• क्षुधितस्य: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• śatru (enemy)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that dharma is tested precisely in hostile situations: even an enemy who has become ignoble and is suffering (distressed, hungry) should not be treated purely with vindictiveness; one’s action should remain governed by ethical restraint and right conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and righteous governance. Here he frames a case involving an enemy in a weakened, pitiable condition (afflicted and hungry), setting up guidance on how a righteous person or king should respond.