Shloka 11

भीष्मविक्रमदर्शनं तथा क्रौञ्चारुणव्यूहविधानम् | Bhīṣma’s Ascendancy and the Organization of the Krauñcāruṇa Formation

Devanagari script

न हि देहभूता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषत: । यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिधीयते,क्योंकि शरीरधारी किसी भी मनुष्यके द्वारा सम्पूर्णतासे सब कर्मोका त्याग किया जाना शक्य नहीं है;/ इसलिये जो कर्मफलका त्यागी है, वही त्यागी है--यह कहा जाता हैः

Transliteration

na hi deha-bhūtā śakyaṃ tyaktuṃ karmāṇy aśeṣataḥ | yas tu karma-phala-tyāgī sa tyāgīty abhidhīyate ||

Translation

For one who is embodied, it is not possible to abandon all actions entirely. Therefore, the person who renounces the fruits of action is truly called a renouncer—so it is said.

Word by Word

नnot

हिindeed/for

देहभूताembodied (one who has a body)

शक्यम्possible

त्यक्तुम्to abandon

कर्माणिactions

अशेषतःentirely/without remainder

यःwho

तुbut/however

कर्मफलत्यागीone who renounces the fruit of actions

सःhe

त्यागीrenouncer

इतिthus/so (quotative)

अभिधीयतेis said/is called

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

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?

Complete abandonment of all action is impossible for an embodied person; genuine renunciation is defined as giving up attachment to the results (karma-phala) while continuing rightful action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Bhīṣma Parva’s battlefield discourse, Arjuna articulates a principle about renunciation: since life in a body necessarily involves action, the ethical focus shifts from stopping action to relinquishing claim over its outcomes.