Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सर्वकर्मसहा श्षान्ये पार्थिवेष्वितरेषु च । विविधाकारययुक्ताश्न ब्राह्मणा भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठट कितने ही ब्राह्मण राजाओं तथा अन्य लोगोंके यहाँ सब प्रकारके कार्य करनेमें समर्थ होते हैं और अनेक ब्राह्मण नाना प्रकारके आकार धारण करते हैं

Transliteration

sarvakarmasahā śāny(e) pārthiveṣv itareṣu ca | vividhākārayuktāś ca brāhmaṇā bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ഭാരതവൃഷഭാ! ചില ബ്രാഹ്മണർ രാജാക്കന്മാരുടെ സേവനത്തിലായാലും മറ്റു ജനങ്ങളുടെ ഇടയിലായാലും, എല്ലാത്തരം പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങളും നിർവഹിക്കാൻ സമർത്ഥരാണ്. വിവിധ രൂപങ്ങളും വേഷങ്ങളും ധരിച്ചു അവർ പലവിധത്തിൽ തങ്ങളെ അനുസരിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

सर्वकर्मसहाःcapable of all kinds of work

अन्येothers

पार्थिवेषुamong kings / at kings' (houses)

इतरेषुamong others

चand

विविधाकारयुक्ताःendowed with various forms

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Bharatarshabha (addressed listener, likely Yudhishthira)

Brahmanas

Kings (pārthivāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes the versatility and broad competence attributed to Brahmanas: they can perform many kinds of work across royal and non-royal settings, adapting their roles and outward modes as circumstances require, while remaining within the ethical frame of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues instructing the listener (addressed as ‘Bharatarshabha’) on dharma and social conduct. Here he remarks on how Brahmanas function in society—serving kings and others, and taking on diverse roles—within his wider discourse on duties and proper order.