Shloka 14

पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient

Devanagari script

ये चैनमनुवर्तन्ते ते न यान्ति पराभवम्‌ | नते प्रेत्य विनश्यन्ति गच्छन्ति न पराभवम्‌

Transliteration

ye cainam anuvartante te na yānti parābhavam | na te pretya vinaśyanti gacchanti na parābhavam ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେମାନେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କୁ ଅନୁସରଣ କରନ୍ତି, ସେମାନେ ପରାଭବକୁ ପାଆନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ। ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ପରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେମାନଙ୍କର ବିନାଶ କିମ୍ବା ପତନ ହୁଏ ନାହିଁ; ସେମାନେ ଅପମାନକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ପାଆନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ, ଅଧୋଗତି ବିନା ଅଗ୍ରସର ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

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

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

• एनम्: him/this (one)
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुवर्तन्ते: follow, obey
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-वृत्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Plural

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

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• यान्ति: go, attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• पराभवम्: defeat, downfall
• पराभवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराभव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• प्रेत्य: having died; after death
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-इ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), ल्यप्

• विनश्यन्ति: perish, are ruined
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नश्
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• गच्छन्ति: go, attain
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Present, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पराभवम्: defeat, downfall
• पराभवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराभव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmins (brāhmaṇāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Reverent adherence to Brahmins—seen as guardians and transmitters of dharma—protects one from worldly defeat and from post-mortem decline; honouring dharma’s custodians is presented as a source of lasting welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he emphasizes the auspicious results of following Brahmins: freedom from disgrace in life and stability of one’s spiritual destiny after death.