Shloka 47
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
Devanagari script
राजलोका ह्व[तिक्रान्ता यान्न संख्यातुमुत्सहे
Transliteration
rājalokā hy atikrāntā yān na saṅkhyātum utsahe
Translation
Bhishma berkata: “Ramai tokoh raja telah pun melangkaui (dunia ini)—terlalu ramai sehingga aku pun tidak berani menghitungnya.”
Word by Word
राजलोकाःroyal people; kings and their retinues
राजलोकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootराजलोक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
अतिक्रान्ताःhaving passed beyond; having exceeded
अतिक्रान्ताः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअति-क्रम्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
यान्whom; which (persons)
यान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
संख्यातुम्to count; to enumerate
संख्यातुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootसंख्या (√ख्या with सम्-)
FormInfinitive
उत्सहेI am able; I dare; I undertake
उत्सहे:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउत्सह्
FormPresent, 1st, Singular, Atmanepada
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaR
rājaloka (kings/royal persons)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma emphasizes impermanence: even countless kings and great rulers have passed away, so one should not cling to power, status, or worldly achievements but align life with dharma and lasting values.
In his instruction during Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma reflects on the vast number of rulers who have already departed, using their uncountable passing as a moral reminder about the transience of worldly sovereignty.