Shloka 17

अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच आदिष्टिनो ये राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगा: । भुज्जते ब्रह्म॒कामाय व्रतलुप्ता भवन्ति ते

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ādiṣṭino ye rājendra brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ | bhuñjate brahmakāmāya vrataluptā bhavanti te ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ରାଜେନ୍ଦ୍ର! ଗୁରୁଙ୍କ ଆଜ୍ଞାରେ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ କାଳ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ-ବ୍ରତରେ ବଦ୍ଧ ଓ ବେଦପାରଙ୍ଗତ ‘ଆଦିଷ୍ଟି’ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ ଯଦି ଯଜମାନଙ୍କର ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଦାନ-ଇଚ୍ଛା ପୂରଣ ପାଇଁ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧରେ ଭୋଜନ କରନ୍ତି, ତେବେ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ନିଜ ବ୍ରତ ଭଙ୍ଗ ହୁଏ; ଦୋଷ ଭୋଜକଙ୍କର, ଦାତାଙ୍କ ଦାନର ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• आदिष्टिनः: those who are enjoined/appointed (as vowed students)
• आदिष्टिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदिष्टिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वेदपारगाः: versed in the Vedas
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदपारग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भुञ्जते: they eat/partake
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• ब्रह्मकामाय: for (the sake of) the desire to give to Brahmins / for fulfilling a Brahmin-related wish
• ब्रह्मकामाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मकाम
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• व्रतलुप्ताः: having their vow broken/ruined
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रतलुप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन्ति: become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the king (addressed as Rājendra)
• Brahmins (ādiṣṭin, vedapāragāḥ)
• Vedas
• vrata (brahmacarya vow)
• śrāddha (implied by context in the cited Hindi gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A disciplined vow (vrata), especially brahmacarya under a teacher’s injunction, must not be compromised for social convenience. Even if a patron wishes to complete a rite by feeding Brahmins, the vow-holder must protect his own dharma; ethical responsibility is tied to one’s own observance, not merely to pleasing others.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma instructs the king about ritual and conduct: certain Brahmins (ādiṣṭin students under strict brahmacarya) should not eat in a śrāddha setting just to fulfill the patron’s desire to donate. If they do, their personal vow is considered lapsed—highlighting boundaries between donor’s rite and the recipient’s discipline.