Shloka 30

Devanagari script

अथवा मन्त्रवद्ब्रूयुरात्मादानाय दुष्कृतम्‌ । स वै हेतुरनादाने शुद्धरर्मानुपालने

Transliteration

athavā mantravad brūyur ātmādānāya duṣkṛtam | sa vai hetur anādāne śuddha-dharmānupālane

Translation

あるいは、人々は聖なる真言を唱えるかのように厳粛にこう宣言する。「悪しき行いは“自らに引き受けるべきである”（告白し、責を負うべきである）」と。その引き受けこそが、過ちを再び犯さぬ因となり、清浄なるダルマを誠実に守り続ける因となる。

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा

• मन्त्रवत्: like a mantra; in a mantra-like manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन्त्रवत्

• ब्रूयुः: they should say/speak
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (ब्रवीति)
• Form: Vidhi-linga (optative), present-system, 3rd, plural, Parasmaipada

• आत्मदानाय: for self-surrender; for giving oneself
• आत्मदानाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मदान
• Form: neuter, dative, singular

• दुष्कृतम्: evil deed; wrongdoing
• दुष्कृतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्कृत
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• सः: he/that (one)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (स)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वै: indeed; surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• हेतुः: cause; reason
• हेतुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अनादाने: in non-acceptance; in not taking/receiving
• अनादाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनादान
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• शुद्धधर्मानुपालने: in the observance of pure dharma
• शुद्धधर्मानुपालने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धधर्मानुपालन
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Owning one’s wrongdoing—openly and solemnly—functions as a moral remedy: it prevents repetition of the fault and supports steady adherence to pure dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma in the Śānti Parva, explains a principle of ethical correction: confession/acceptance of misdeeds (spoken with mantra-like seriousness) becomes a cause for restraint and renewed commitment to righteous conduct.