Shloka 49

Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

अन्निदैर्गरदैश्वैव प्रतिरूपककारकै: । श्रेणिमुख्योपजापेन वीरुधश्छेदनेन च

Transliteration

annidair garadaiś caiva pratirūpakakārakaiḥ | śreṇimukhyopajāpena vīrudhaś chedanena ca

Translation

Bhīṣma berkata: “Oleh para pembakar, oleh para peracun, oleh pembuat barang tiruan; oleh pujukan yang merosakkan para ketua persatuan; dan oleh penebangan sulur serta tumbuh-tumbuhan—(perbuatan-perbuatan ini dihitung sebagai kesalahan yang berat).”

Word by Word

• अन्निदैः: by food-givers (providers of food)
• अन्निदैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्निद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• गरदैः: by poisoners / poison-givers
• गरदैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरद
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

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

• प्रतिरूपककारकैः: by makers of counterfeits / forgers
• प्रतिरूपककारकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिरूपककारक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• श्रेणिमुख्योपजापेन: by bribery/secret instigation of guild-leaders (chiefs of corporations)
• श्रेणिमुख्योपजापेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेणिमुख्योपजाप
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वीरुधः: creepers / vines
• वीरुधः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरुध्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• छेदनेन: by cutting / by severing
• छेदनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: छेदन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma identifies destructive and deceitful acts—arson, poisoning, counterfeiting, corrupt manipulation of guild leadership, and wanton destruction of vegetation—as serious ethical violations because they endanger life, erode trust, and damage communal welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is listing categories of harmful wrongdoing, moving from direct physical threats (fire, poison) to economic deception (counterfeiting, corrupt guild influence) and finally to damage of shared natural resources (cutting plants/creepers).