Shloka 17

इन्द्रेण वृत्रवधः, ब्रह्महत्याया अनुगमनम्, तथा च विभाजन-निवासविधानम्

Indra’s defeat of Vṛtra; pursuit by Brahmahatyā; allocation of her abodes

Devanagari script

धूतपाप: स तेजस्वी लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रिय: । कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा निनीषेद्‌ ब्रह्मण: पदम्‌,इस प्रकार जब पाप धुल जायँ और साधक तेजस्वी, मिताहारी और जितेन्द्रिय हो जाय, तब वह काम और क्रोधको अपने अधीन करके अपने-आपको ब्रह्मपदमें प्रतिष्ठित करनेकी इच्छा करे

Transliteration

dhūtapāpaḥ sa tejasvī laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ | kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā ninīṣed brahmaṇaḥ padam ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「求道者が罪を洗い落とし、行いに光を帯び、少食にして諸根を制したなら、そのとき—欲と怒りを支配下に置いて—梵（ブラフマン）の境地、すなわち最高の霊的位に自らを安住させんと願うべきである。」

Word by Word

धूतपापःone whose sins are washed off

सःhe

तेजस्वीradiant, vigorous

लघ्वाहारःone of light/moderate diet

जितेन्द्रियःone who has conquered the senses

कामक्रोधौdesire and anger

वशेunder control, in subjection

कृत्वाhaving made (having brought)

निनीषेत्should lead/should direct (himself)

ब्रह्मणःof Brahman

पदम्state, abode, position

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Brahman (brahmaṇaḥ padam)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Purification and disciplined living—moderate diet, mastery of the senses, and control over desire and anger—are presented as prerequisites for aspiring to the highest spiritual realization, the state of Brahman.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, Bhishma continues advising the listener on the inner disciplines of a seeker, outlining the qualities and practices that lead toward the supreme goal.