Shloka 19

Adhyāya 164: Gautama as Guest; Kaśyapa’s Satkāra and the Fourfold Arthagati; Journey to Virūpākṣa

Devanagari script

प्रतिकर्तु न शक्ता ये बलस्थायापकारिणे । असूया जायते तीव्रा कारुण्याद्‌ विनिवर्तते

Transliteration

pratikartuṁ na śaktā ye balasthāyāpakāriṇe | asūyā jāyate tīvrā kāruṇyād vinivartate ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେମାନେ ନିଜକୁ ଅପକାର କରୁଥିବା ବଳବାନ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରତିକାର କରିବାରେ ଅସମର୍ଥ, ସେମାନଙ୍କ ହୃଦୟରେ ତୀବ୍ର ଅସୂୟା—ଦୋଷଦର୍ଶନ ଓ ଦ୍ୱେଷମିଶ୍ର ଈର୍ଷ୍ୟା—ଜନ୍ମେ। କିନ୍ତୁ କରୁଣା ଜାଗ୍ରତ ହେଲେ ସେ କଟୁତା ଶାନ୍ତ ହୋଇ ନିବୃତ୍ତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• प्रतिकर्तुम्: to retaliate / to do in return
• प्रतिकर्तुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति√कृ
• Form: तुमुन्-अन्त (infinitive)

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

• शक्ताः: able, capable
• शक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (शक्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• बलस्थाय: to/for the strong one (standing in strength)
• बलस्थाय: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अपकारिणे: to the wrongdoer / one who harms
• अपकारिणे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपकारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• असूया: envy, fault-finding
• असूया: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असूया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• जायते: arises, is born
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन्
• Form: Present, Ātmanepada, 3rd, Singular

• तीव्रा: intense, sharp
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कारुण्यात्: from compassion
• कारुण्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• विनिवर्तते: ceases, turns back, is removed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-√वृत्
• Form: Present, Ātmanepada, 3rd, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When a person feels powerless to answer harm with retaliation, the mind often turns to asūyā—resentful fault-finding. Cultivating compassion (kāruṇya) dissolves that inner poison and restores ethical clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and conduct, Bhishma explains a common moral-psychological pattern: inability to punish a strong offender breeds bitterness, but compassion can neutralize it.