Shloka 15

Nirmaryāda-saṃgrāma-varṇana — The Unbounded Clash and Bhīṣma’s Rallying Presence

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत भीष्मपर्वके श्रीमद्भगवद्‌गीतापवकिे अन्तर्गत ब्रह्मविद्या एवं योगशासत्ररूप श्रीमद्भगगवद्‌गीतोपनिषद्‌, श्रीकृष्णारजुनसंवादमें पुरुषोत्तमयोग नामक पंद्रहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,आद्यो5भिजनवानस्मि को<न्यो5स्ति सदृशो मया | यक्ष्ये दास्यामि मोदिष्य इत्यज्ञानविमोहिता:

Transliteration

ādyo 'bhijanavān asmi ko 'nyo 'sti sadṛśo mayā | yakṣye dāsyāmi modiṣya ity ajñāna-vimohitāḥ ||

Translation

Deluded by ignorance, they think: “I am high-born; I am wealthy. Who else is equal to me? I will perform sacrifices, I will give gifts, I will enjoy.” Thus, intoxicated by self-conceit, they pursue outward acts and pleasures without true discernment of the Self or the moral law that should govern action.

Word by Word

• {'ādyaḥ': 'first

• pre-eminent', 'abhijanavān': 'of noble lineage

• high-born', 'asmi': 'I am', 'kaḥ': 'who?', 'anyaḥ': 'another

• anyone else', 'asti': 'is

• exists', 'sadṛśaḥ': 'equal

• similar', 'mayā': 'to/with me

• than me (in comparison)', 'yakṣye': 'I shall sacrifice

• I shall perform a yajña', 'dāsyāmi': 'I shall give

• I shall donate', 'modiṣye': 'I shall rejoice

• I shall enjoy', 'iti': 'thus

• thinking/saying', 'ajñāna': 'ignorance

• lack of true knowledge', 'vimohitāḥ': 'bewildered

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse critiques the moral blindness produced by ego and ignorance: pride in birth and wealth leads one to boast, seek status through sacrifice and charity, and chase enjoyment, while missing inner discernment and humility that make actions truly dharmic.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the broader Bhagavad Gita discourse within Bhishma Parva, this line describes the mindset of deluded people who measure worth by social rank and possessions, asserting superiority and planning ritual acts and pleasures as self-display rather than as disciplined, ethically grounded action.