Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

तस्माच्छास्त्र प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ । ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रविधानोक्त कर्म कर्तुमिहाहसि,इससे तेरे लिये इस कर्तव्य और अकर्तठव्यकी व्यवस्थामें शास्त्र ही प्रमाण है। ऐसा जानकर तू शास्त्रविधिसे नियत कर्म ही करनेयोग्य हैः

Transliteration

tasmāc chāstra-pramāṇaṁ te kāryākārya-vyavasthitau | jñātvā śāstra-vidhānoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi ||

Translation

Therefore, for you the authoritative standard in determining what ought to be done and what ought not to be done is the śāstra. Knowing the action that is enjoined by scriptural ordinance, you should perform that prescribed duty here—so that choice is guided by dharma rather than impulse or personal preference.

Word by Word

तस्मात्therefore/from that

शास्त्र-प्रमाणम्scripture as authority/standard

तेfor you

कार्य-अकार्य-व्यवस्थितौin the determination of what should/should not be done

ज्ञात्वाhaving known

शास्त्र-विधान-उक्तम्enjoined/said by scriptural rule

कर्मaction/duty

कर्तुम्to do

इहhere/in this matter

अर्हसिyou ought/are fit

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

śāstra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When deciding between duty and non-duty (kārya and akārya), one should treat śāstra as the decisive authority; having understood what the injunctions prescribe, one should act accordingly.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the war-context discourse, the speaker instructs the listener to resolve moral uncertainty by appealing to śāstric guidance and then to carry out the prescribed action as dharma demands.