Shloka 16

Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu

Gṛhastha-Vrata

Devanagari script

सुदक्षिणो मधुरवागनसूयुर्जितिन्द्रिय: । धर्मात्मा चानृशंसश्न विक्रान्तो5<थाविकत्थन:

Transliteration

sudakṣiṇo madhuravāg anasūyur jitendriyaḥ | dharmātmā cānṛśaṁsaś ca vikrānto ’thāvikatthanaḥ ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ସେ ରାଜା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦାନଶୀଳ, ମଧୁରଭାଷୀ, ଦୋଷ ଖୋଜିବାରୁ ଦୂର, ଜିତେନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ, ଧର୍ମାତ୍ମା, ଦୟାଳୁ ଓ ପରାକ୍ରମୀ ଥିଲେ; ଏବଂ ସେ କେବେ ଆତ୍ମପ୍ରଶଂସା କରୁନଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• सुदक्षिणः: very generous (liberal in giving)
• सुदक्षिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदक्षिण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मधुरवाक्: sweet-spoken
• मधुरवाक्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुरवाक्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनसूयुः: free from envy/censoriousness
• अनसूयुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनसूयु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितेन्द्रियः: having conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled person
• धर्मात्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अनृशंसः: compassionate, not cruel
• अनृशंसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनृशंस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विक्रान्तः: valiant, heroic
• विक्रान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अविकत्थनः: not boastful
• अविकत्थनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविकत्थन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a king (unnamed in this verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical portrait of the ideal ruler: generosity and pleasant speech tempered by non-censoriousness, self-mastery, commitment to dharma, compassion, courage, and humility (absence of boasting).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing the character of a king, listing his virtues as a model of righteous conduct and exemplary kingship within the Anushasana Parva’s broader instruction on dharma.