Shloka 8

Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya

Devanagari script

नहि प्राणात्‌ प्रियतरं लोके किंचन विद्यते । तस्माद्‌ दयां नर: कुर्याद्‌ यथा55त्मनि तथा परे

Transliteration

na hi prāṇāt priyataraṃ loke kiṃcana vidyate | tasmād dayāṃ naraḥ kuryād yathātmāni tathā pare ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「この世において、自らの生命の息より愛しいものは何一つない。ゆえに人は慈悲を修し、己が望む憐れみと配慮とを、そのまま他者にも施すべきである。」

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• प्राणात्: than (one's) life/breath
• प्राणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• प्रियतरम्: dearer (more beloved)
• प्रियतरम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियतर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• किंचन: anything (at all)
• किंचन: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किंचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तस्मात् (तद्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• दयाम्: compassion
• दयाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should do/practice
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Optative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• यथा: as/in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• आत्मनि: in oneself/towards oneself
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तथा: so/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• परे: in another/in others
• परे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• prāṇa (life-breath)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Since life is the dearest possession for every being, one should extend compassion to others by applying the same standard one applies to oneself—an ethical rule of empathy and non-harm grounded in the value of life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he emphasizes dayā (compassion) as a practical moral duty, arguing from a universal human attachment to life.