Shloka 20

उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel

Devanagari script

तत्र वेदीं च भूमिं च देवतायतनानि च । निवेश्य भरतश्रेष्ठ नियमस्थो 5 भवन्मुनि:,भरतश्रेष्ठ! वहाँ यज्ञके लिये वेदी, रहनेके लिये स्थान और देवालय बनाकर मुनिकी भाँति नियमपूर्वक रहने लगा

Transliteration

tatra vedīṃ ca bhūmiṃ ca devatāyatanāni ca | niveśya bharataśreṣṭha niyamastho babhūva munivat ||

Translation

Wahai yang terbaik antara keturunan Bharata! Di sana dia mendirikan vedi untuk korban suci, mengatur tempat tinggal, dan membangunkan tempat suci bagi para dewa; lalu dia hidup dengan niyama dan disiplin seperti seorang muni, teguh dalam tata laku yang teratur.

Word by Word

तत्रthere

वेदीम्altar

चand

भूमिम्ground; site

चand

देवतायतनानिtemples; shrines of the gods

चand

निवेश्यhaving established; having set up

भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas

नियमस्थःabiding in observances; disciplined

भवन्he (the venerable one); the revered person

मुनिःsage

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Bharataśreṣṭha (addressed listener)

vedī (sacrificial altar)

devatāyatanāni (shrines/temples)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is sustained by disciplined living: establishing proper ritual space, honoring the gods through shrines, and maintaining niyama (regulated observances) transforms ordinary life into sage-like conduct grounded in restraint and reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma describes how a person, upon reaching a place, sets up the practical and sacred infrastructure—altar, dwelling site, and deity-shrines—and then lives there following strict observances, adopting the lifestyle and steadiness of a muni.