Shloka 8

Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

यः स्याद्‌ दान्त: सोमपश्चार्यशील: सानुक्रोश: सर्वसहो निराशी: । ऋजुर्मदुरनृशंस: क्षमावान्‌ स वै विप्रो नेतर: पापकर्मा,जो मन और इन्द्रियोंको संयममें रखनेवाला, सोमयाग करके सोमरस पीनेवाला, सदाचारी, दयालु, सब कुछ सहन करनेवाला, निष्काम, सरल, मृदु, क्रूरतारहित और क्षमाशील हो, वही ब्राह्मण कहलाने योग्य है। उससे भिन्न जो पापाचारी है, उसे ब्राह्मण नहीं समझना चाहिये

Transliteration

yaḥ syād dāntaḥ somapaś cāryaśīlaḥ sānukrośaḥ sarvasaho nirāśī | ṛjur madhur anṛśaṁsaḥ kṣamāvān sa vai vipro netaraḥ pāpakarmā ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : Seul mérite d’être appelé brāhmaṇa celui qui se maîtrise, accomplit le Soma-yajña et boit le Soma, demeure ferme dans la juste conduite, est compatissant, capable de tout endurer, libre de convoitise, droit, doux, sans cruauté et prompt au pardon. Celui qui est autrement—dont les actes sont pécheurs—ne doit pas être tenu pour un brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

यःwho (he who)

स्यात्would be / should be

दान्तःself-controlled, restrained

सोमपःSoma-drinker (one who drinks Soma)

आचार्यशीलःof good conduct / having proper conduct

सानुक्रोशःcompassionate

सर्वसहःall-enduring, forbearing

निराशीःdesireless, without expectation

ऋजुःstraightforward, honest

मधुरःgentle, sweet-natured

अनृशंसःnon-cruel, not harsh

क्षमावान्forbearing, patient

सःhe

वैindeed

विप्रःa brahmin / learned man

नnot

इतरःthe other (one)

पापकर्माone whose deeds are sinful

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Soma

Soma-yajña (Somayāga)

vipra/brāhmaṇa (as a social-religious category)

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?

Brāhmaṇa-hood is grounded in character and disciplined conduct—self-restraint, compassion, patience, gentleness, non-cruelty, and forgiveness—supported (but not replaced) by ritual credentials like Soma-sacrifice. Sinful conduct disqualifies one from the true status of a brāhmaṇa.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he defines the marks of a true brāhmaṇa by listing ethical virtues and contrasting them with pāpakarma (sinful action), emphasizing inner qualities over mere label.