Shloka 17
भीष्मकृतः पाण्डवपक्ष-महारथ-प्रशंसा
Bhishma’s appraisal of Pandava-aligned chariot-warriors
Devanagari script
बलज्येष्ठं स्मृतं क्षत्रं मन्त्रज्येष्ठा द्विजातय: । धनज्येष्ठा: स्मृता वैश्या: शूद्रास्तु ववसाधिका:
Translation
क्षत्रियों में जो बल में श्रेष्ठ है वही श्रेष्ठ माना गया है; द्विजों (ब्राह्मणों) में मन्त्र-ज्ञान से, वैश्यों में धन से, और शूद्रों में आयु की अधिकता से श्रेष्ठता मानी गई है।
Word by Word
बलज्येष्ठम्having strength as the criterion of superiority / strongest
बलज्येष्ठम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबल-ज्येष्ठ
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
स्मृतम्is said/remembered (as)
स्मृतम्:
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ (धातु)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
क्षत्रम्the Kshatra (Kshatriya order)
क्षत्रम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्षत्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
मन्त्रज्येष्ठाःhaving mantras as the criterion of superiority / foremost in mantras
मन्त्रज्येष्ठाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमन्त्र-ज्येष्ठ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
द्विजातयःthe twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
द्विजातयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजाति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
धनज्येष्ठाःhaving wealth as the criterion of superiority / richest
धनज्येष्ठाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधन-ज्येष्ठ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्मृताःare said/remembered (as)
स्मृताः:
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ (धातु)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, क्त (past passive participle)
वैश्याःVaishyas
वैश्याः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवैश्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शूद्राःShudras
शूद्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut/and (contrastive)
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
ववसाधिकाःhaving age/longevity as the criterion of superiority / longer-lived
ववसाधिकाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवयस्-अधिक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes