Shloka 37

कपोत-लुब्धकसंवादः — Hunter’s Remorse and Renunciatory Resolve

Devanagari script

या देवतासूु वृत्तिस्ते सास्तु विप्रेषु नित्यदा । क्रुद्धैर्हिं विप्रै: कर्माणि कृतानि बहुधा नूप

Transliteration

yā devatāsu vṛttis te sāstu vipreṣu nityadā | kruddhair hi vipraiḥ karmāṇi kṛtāni bahudhā nṛpa, nareśvara ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Que la même conduite révérencieuse que tu observes envers les dieux, tu l’observes toujours envers les brahmanes. Car les brahmanes, lorsqu’ils s’embrasent de colère, ont accompli bien des actes extraordinaires ; aussi, ô roi, traite-les avec un respect constant et avec retenue.»

Word by Word

• {'yā': 'which, whatever', 'devatāsu': 'toward/among the deities (locative plural of devatā)', 'vṛttiḥ': 'conduct, behavior, manner of dealing', 'te': 'your', 'sā': 'that (same)', 'astu': 'let it be

• should be (imperative of √as)', 'vipreṣu': 'toward/among brāhmaṇas (locative plural of vipra)', 'nityadā': 'always, at all times', 'kruddhaiḥ': 'by those who are angry (instrumental plural of kruddha)', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'vipraiḥ': 'by brāhmaṇas (instrumental plural of vipra)', 'karmāṇi': 'deeds, acts (often implying potent/ritual or wondrous acts)', 'kṛtāni': 'done, performed', 'bahudhā': 'in many ways, of many kinds', 'nṛpa': 'O king', 'nareśvara': 'O lord of men (epithet of the king)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• nṛpa/nareśvara (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira as addressee)
• devatāḥ (deities)
• viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should extend to brāhmaṇas the same reverence and careful conduct shown toward the gods, because brāhmaṇas—especially when angered—are portrayed as capable of formidable, even extraordinary, consequences; thus steady respect and self-restraint are essential to dharma and good governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and kingship, Bhīṣma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), warning him to maintain constant respectful behavior toward brāhmaṇas, citing the traditional idea that angered brāhmaṇas have accomplished many astonishing deeds.