Shloka 456

बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account

On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा ददावसिं तीक्षणमधर्मप्रतिवारणम्‌ । इसके बाद ब्रह्माजीने अधर्मका निवारण करनेमें समर्थ वह तीखी तलवार वृषभचिह्नित ध्वजावाले नीलकण्ठ भगवान्‌ रुद्रको दे दी

Transliteration

brahmā dadāv asiṁ tīkṣṇam adharmaprativāraṇam |

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଅଧର୍ମକୁ ରୋକିବା ଓ ନିବାରଣ କରିବାରେ ସମର୍ଥ ଏକ ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ଖଡ୍ଗ ଦାନ କଲେ। ପରେ ସେହି ଧାରାଳ ଶସ୍ତ୍ର, ଯାହା ଅଧର୍ମ-ନିଗ୍ରହରେ ପ୍ରବଳ, ବୃଷଭଚିହ୍ନିତ ଧ୍ୱଜାଧାରୀ ନୀଳକଣ୍ଠ ଭଗବାନ ରୁଦ୍ରଙ୍କୁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ଅର୍ପଣ କଲେ—ଯେପରି ଅବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା ଓ ଅନ୍ୟାୟ ରୁଦ୍ଧ ହେଉ ଏବଂ ଧର୍ମ ରକ୍ଷିତ ରହୁ।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददौ: gave
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दान)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• असिम्: sword
• असिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तीक्ष्णम्: sharp
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अधर्म: unrighteousness, adharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• प्रतिवारणम्: warding off, prevention
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिवारण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Rudra (Śiva, Nīlakaṇṭha)
• sharp sword (asi)
• bull-emblem banner (vṛṣabha-cihna dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate power and even weaponry are framed as instruments for the restraint of adharma: force is ethically justified here only insofar as it protects dharma and restores moral order, not for personal gain or cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s account, Brahmā bestows a sharp sword intended to counter unrighteousness, and then entrusts it to Rudra (Śiva), identified by the blue throat and bull-emblem banner, indicating divine sanction for the protection of cosmic and social order.