Shloka 12

Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 113 — Maryādā-sthāpana (Śvetaketu’s Boundary) and the Niyoga Deliberation of Pāṇḍu and Kuntī

Devanagari script

त॑ भीष्म: प्रत्युवाचेदं मद्रराज॑ं जनाधिप: । धर्म एष परो राजन्‌ स्वयमुक्त: स्वयम्भुवा,यह सुनकर जनेश्वर भीष्मजीने मद्रराजको इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया--'राजन्‌! यह उत्तम धर्म है। स्वयं स्वयम्भू ब्रह्माजीने इसे धर्म कहा है”

Transliteration

taṁ bhīṣmaḥ pratyuvācedaṁ madrarājaṁ janādhipaḥ | dharma eṣa paro rājan svayamuktaḥ svayambhuvā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Hearing this, Bhīṣma, the lord of men, replied to the king of Madra: “O King, this is the highest dharma. It has been declared as dharma by Svayambhū (Brahmā) himself.”

Word by Word

• तत्: that (speech/statement)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इदम्: this (speech)
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मद्रराजम्: the king of Madra (Madra-raja)
• मद्रराजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्रराज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जनाधिपः: lord of people, ruler
• जनाधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनाधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteous duty
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एषः: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परः: supreme, highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• स्वयम्: by oneself, personally
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

• उक्तः: said, declared
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वयम्भुवा: by the Self-born (Brahma)
• स्वयम्भुवा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम्भू
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• Madrarāja (King of Madra)
• Svayambhū (Brahmā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma affirms that the principle under discussion is not merely practical advice but the supreme dharma, validated by the highest cosmic authority—Svayambhū (Brahmā). The ethical force comes from grounding human conduct in an overarching moral order.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the Madra king’s words (or query), Bhīṣma responds formally, addressing him as ‘O King’ and elevating the matter by stating that this dharma was proclaimed by Brahmā himself, thereby strengthening its legitimacy and binding force for a ruler.