Shloka 5

तुलाधार-उपदेशः

Tulādhāra’s Instruction to Jājali on Ahiṃsā and Abhaya-dāna

Devanagari script

अननेर्दूर्धर्षता ज्योतिस्ताप: पाक: प्रकाशनम्‌ | शोको रागो लघुस्तैक्ष्णयं सततं चोर्ध्वभासिता

Transliteration

anagner durdharṣatā jyotis tāpaḥ pākaḥ prakāśanam | śoko rāgo laghutā tīkṣṇatvaṃ satataṃ cordhvabhāsitā ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଅଗ୍ନିର ଗୁଣ ଏହି: ଦୁର୍ଧର୍ଷତା (ସହିବା କଠିନ), ଜ୍ୟୋତି, ତାପ, ପାକ (ସିଜାଇବା/ପକ୍କ କରିବା), ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିବା; ଏବଂ ଶୋକସଦୃଶ ଦାହ, ରାଗସଦୃଶ ଲାଲିମା, ଲଘୁତା, ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣତା, ଓ ଜ୍ୱାଳାର ସଦା ଉର୍ଦ୍ଧ୍ୱମୁଖୀ ଉଠି ଦୀପ୍ତିମାନ ହେବା—ଏସବୁ ଅଗ୍ନିର ଲକ୍ଷଣ।

Word by Word

• अननेः: of fire
• अननेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (अग्नि)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• दूर्धर्षता: invincibility / unassailability
• दूर्धर्षता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर्धर्षता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्योतिः: light / flame
• ज्योतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तापः: heat
• तापः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाकः: cooking / ripening
• पाकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रकाशनम्: illumination / making visible
• प्रकाशनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकाशन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शोकः: burning / grief (here: burning heat)
• शोकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रागः: redness / glow
• रागः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लघुता: lightness
• लघुता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघुता
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तीक्ष्ण्यम्: sharpness / intensity
• तीक्ष्ण्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीक्ष्ण्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सततम्: always / constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

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

• ऊर्ध्वभासिता: upward shining / upward blazing
• ऊर्ध्वभासिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व-भासित (भास् √भास्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Agni (fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches recognition of a thing’s svabhāva (intrinsic nature) through its guṇas (observable qualities). Fire is defined not by name but by effects—heat, light, transformation, sharpness, and upward-rising radiance—encouraging ethical discernment by attending to consequences and characteristics.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhīṣma continues a didactic exposition, listing the defining properties of fire (agni) as part of a broader discussion that classifies and explains the qualities of entities in the world for reflective understanding.