Shloka 37

Śakuni–Duryodhana-saṃvāda: Dyūta-yojanā (Śakuni and Duryodhana on Planning the Dice-Game)

Devanagari script

हन्यतां दुर्मतिर्भीष्म: पशुवत्‌ साध्वयं नृपा: । सर्वे: समेत्य संरब्धैर्दहुतां वा कटाग्निना,“राजाओ! क्रोधमें भरे हुए हम सब लोग मिलकर इस खोटी बुद्धिवाले भीष्मको पशुकी भाँति गला दबाकर मार डालें अथवा घास-फूसकी आगमें इसे जीते-जी जला दें”

Transliteration

han yatāṁ durmatir bhīṣmaḥ paśuvat sādhv ayaṁ nṛpāḥ | sarvaiḥ sametya saṁrabdhair dahutāṁ vā kaṭāgninā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai para raja! Biarlah Bhīṣma yang berniat jahat ini dibunuh—dicekik seperti binatang; atau, dengan kita semua berhimpun dalam amarah, biarlah dia dibakar hidup-hidup dalam api rumput kering.”

Word by Word

• हन्यताम्: let (him) be killed
• हन्यताम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्मणि

• दुर्मतिः: the evil-minded one
• दुर्मतिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पशु-वत्: like an animal
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पशु + वत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: true

• साध्वयम्: well then / come now (exhortation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु + अयम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: true

• नृपाः: O kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all (of us)
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• समेत्य: having assembled
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्यय), कर्तरि

• संरब्धैः: by/with (those) enraged
• संरब्धैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संरब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from रभ्/रम्भ् with सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दहुताम्: or let (him) be burnt
• दहुताम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम, एकवचन, कर्मणि

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा
• Form: true

• कट-अग्निना: with a straw-fire / fire of dry grass
• कट-अग्निना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कट + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Bhīṣma
• kings (nṛpāḥ)
• fire of dry grass (kaṭāgni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how uncontrolled anger can eclipse dharma: collective fury seeks extreme, dehumanizing punishment (“like an animal,” “burn alive”), showing the ethical danger of rash, group-driven decisions against even respected figures.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a heated outburst addressed to assembled kings, proposing that Bhīṣma—judged “ill-minded” in that moment—be killed either by strangling or by burning in a straw-fire, indicating an atmosphere of intense political and moral agitation.