Shloka 11

Kṣātra-Dharma, Daṇḍanīti, and Social Order

Indra–Māndhātṛ Dialogue

Devanagari script

अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि धर्ममर्थविनिश्चयम्‌ । निर्मयदि वर्तमाने दानवैकार्णवे पुरा

Transliteration

atra te vartayiṣyāmi dharmam arthaviniścayam | nirmadī vartamāne dānavākarṇave purā ||

Translation

ଏଠାରେ ମୁଁ ତୁମକୁ ଏକ ଧର୍ମମୟ ଇତିହାସ କହିବି, ଯାହା ଅର୍ଥ—ବ୍ୟବହାରିକ ହିତ ଓ କଲ୍ୟାଣ—ର ତାତ୍ତ୍ୱିକ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ କରାଏ। ପୁରାତନ କାଳରେ, ଯେତେବେଳେ ଏହି ଜଗତ ଦାନବସ୍ୱଭାବୀ ଅନିୟମର ସମୁଦ୍ରରେ ନିମଗ୍ନ ହୋଇ ଉଚ୍ଛୃଙ୍ଖଳ ହୋଇପଡ଼ିଥିଲା, ସେତେବେଳେ ଏହି ଶିକ୍ଷା ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ହୋଇଥିଲା।

Word by Word

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: any, Dative, Singular

• वर्तयिष्यामि: I will narrate / relate
• वर्तयिष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तयति caus.)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धर्मम्: dharma; righteous principle
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्थ-विनिश्चयम्: determination/ascertainment of meaning/purpose
• अर्थ-विनिश्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थविनिश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निर्मये: in (a state of) absence of fear/impurity (reading uncertain)
• निर्मये: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मय
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वर्तमाने: when existing; while prevailing
• वर्तमाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दानव-एकार्णवे: in the ocean of the Daityas/Danavas
• दानव-एकार्णवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानवैकार्णव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पुरा: formerly; long ago
• पुरा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma frames the coming story as a decisive clarification of how artha (practical welfare and aims) must be judged through dharma; when society becomes lawless, only dharma can rightly determine what counts as true benefit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma announces that he will narrate an ancient dharmic history. He sets the scene as a time when the world had become unruly, metaphorically drowned in an ‘ocean of Dānava-nature,’ preparing the listener for a corrective moral exemplum.