Shloka 99

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

कवची बद्धनिस्त्रिंश: सशर: सशरासन: । वेदवेदाड़विच्चैव धनुर्वेदे च पारग:

Transliteration

kavacī baddha-nistriṁśaḥ saśaraḥ saśarāsanaḥ | veda-vedānta-vic caiva dhanurvede ca pāragḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Il apparut revêtu d’une armure, l’épée attachée à la ceinture, portant l’arc et les flèches. Il possédait la maîtrise entière des Veda et du Vedānta, et excellait aussi dans la science de l’arc.»

Word by Word

• कवची: armored; wearing armor
• कवची: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कवचिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बद्ध: bound; fastened
• बद्ध: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निस्त्रिंशः: sword
• निस्त्रिंशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निस्त्रिंश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सशरः: with arrows
• सशरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सशरासनः: with a bow
• सशरासनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शरासन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेद: the Vedas
• वेद: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वेदान्त: the Vedāntas (Upaniṣads/ends of the Veda)
• वेदान्त: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदान्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विद्वान्: knower; learned man
• विद्वान्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• धनुर्वेदे: in the science of archery (Dhanurveda)
• धनुर्वेदे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुर्वेद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• पारगः: one who has gone to the far shore; fully proficient
• पारगः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पारग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• armor (kavaca)
• sword (nistriṁśa)
• arrows (śara)
• bow (śarāsana)
• Vedas
• Vedānta
• Dhanurveda

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ideal of integrated excellence: a warrior should be outwardly prepared for protection and battle (armor, sword, bow, arrows) while being inwardly grounded in higher knowledge (Veda and Vedānta). Martial power is ethically stabilized by learning, restraint, and discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes a figure who arrives fully equipped for combat and also renowned for scholarship—mastery of sacred texts and of Dhanurveda. The description highlights both readiness for action and intellectual-spiritual authority.