Shloka 32
Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda
Devanagari script
पशुयज्ञै: कथं हिंस्नैमादृशो यछ्टमहति
Transliteration
paśuyajñaiḥ kathaṃ hiṃsnair mādṛśo yaṣṭum arhati
Translation
ビーシュマは言った。「どうして我のような者が、獣を伴う供犠——暴力を含む祭儀——を行うにふさわしかろうか。」
Word by Word
पशुयज्ञैःby/with animal-sacrifices
पशुयज्ञैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपशुयज्ञ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
कथम्how?
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
हिंस्नैःby those who injure/kill; by violent (acts/agents)
हिंस्नैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootहिंस्न
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
मादृशःone like me
मादृशः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमादृश
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
यष्टुम्to sacrifice; to perform a sacrifice
यष्टुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootयज्
FormInfinitive
अर्हतिis fit/deserves; is entitled
अर्हति:
TypeVerb
Rootअर्ह्
FormPresent, 3, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical scrutiny of ritual: even if a practice is called a yajña, its हिंसा (violence) raises a dharmic problem. Bhīṣma frames worthiness to perform sacrifice in moral terms, aligning dharma with restraint and non-injury.
In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Bhīṣma is explaining principles of righteous conduct. Here he questions the propriety of animal-sacrifices, presenting them as हिंस्न (violent) and thus unsuitable for a person seeking dharmic purity.