Shloka 24

अहिंसा-प्रधान धर्मविचारः

Ahiṃsā as the Superior Dharma: Practical and Scriptural Reasoning

Devanagari script

तत्राड्ुछ्ठेन राजेन्द्र निखर्वमपरं ततः । तस्थौ पितामहं चैव तोषयामास यत्नत:

Transliteration

tatrāṅguṣṭhena rājendra nikharvam aparaṃ tataḥ | tasthau pitāmahaṃ caiva toṣayāmāsa yatnataḥ ||

Translation

അവിടെയേ, രാജേന്ദ്രാ, അതിനുശേഷം അവൾ വെറും പെരുവിരലിന്റെ ബലത്തിൽ മറ്റൊരു പൂർണ്ണ നിഖർവ വർഷങ്ങളോളം അചഞ്ചലമായി നിന്നു. ഇങ്ങനെ കഠിനവും അചലവുമായ ശ്രമം കൊണ്ട് അവൾ പിതാമഹൻ ബ്രഹ്മാവിനെ പ്രസന്നനാക്കി.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• अङ्गुष्ठेन: with/on the thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निखर्वम्: a nikhārva (a vast number/measure; here: a very long period)
• निखर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निखर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अपरम्: another; further
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• तस्थौ: stood; remained
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पितामहम्: the Grandsire (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed; just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तोषयामास: caused to be pleased; satisfied
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष्
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative

• यत्नतः: with effort; diligently
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्नतः

Speaker

पितामह उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha as speaker)
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Rājendra (the king addressed, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Himālaya (mountain peak; implied by context in the given passage)
• the maiden/princess performing austerity (unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic power of sustained tapas—steadfast self-discipline and sincere effort can win divine grace. Ethical emphasis falls on perseverance, restraint, and single-minded dedication to a higher aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma narrates an episode in which a virtuous maiden performs extreme austerity: she stands balanced on her thumb for an immense duration (‘another nikharva of years’) and thereby satisfies Pitāmaha Brahmā.