Shloka 31
प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting
Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue
विवस्वान् वीर्यवान् ह्वीमान् कीर्तिमान्ू कृत एव च । जितात्मा मुनिवीर्यश्व दीप्तरोमा भयंकर:
Vivasvān vīryavān hrīmān kīrtimān kṛta eva ca | jitātmā munivīryaś ca dīptaromā bhayaṅkaraḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Vivasvān perkasa dalam keberanian, memiliki rasa malu yang mulia, termasyhur, dan sempurna dalam laku dharma. Ia menaklukkan diri, berdaya rohani laksana seorang muni, bercahaya dalam wibawa, dan menggetarkan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises an ideal of excellence grounded in dharma: true greatness combines strength (vīrya) with moral restraint (hrī), fame earned through right conduct (kīrti), and inner mastery (jitātmā). Awe-inspiring power is presented as legitimate when rooted in self-control and spiritual merit.
In Bhīṣma’s discourse, a figure—here Vivasvān—is being described through a catalogue of virtues. The narration highlights his moral and spiritual stature, portraying him as both radiant and formidable, thereby supporting Bhīṣma’s broader instruction on dharma and exemplary conduct.