Shloka 16

ऋत्विग्धर्मः, दक्षिणा-न्यायः, तपसः परमार्थः

Ritvij-Dharma, the Norm of Dakṣiṇā, and the Higher Meaning of Tapas

Devanagari script

शरीरवृत्तमास्थाय इत्येषा श्रूयते श्रुति: । नातिसम्यक्‌ प्रणीतानि ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम्‌

Transliteration

śarīravṛttam āsthāya ityeṣā śrūyate śrutiḥ | nātisamyak praṇītāni brāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ଶ୍ରୁତିରେ ଏହି ରୂପରେ ବାକ୍ୟ ଶୁଣାଯାଏ—‘ଶରୀର-ନିର୍ବାହର ବୃତ୍ତିକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି…’। କିନ୍ତୁ ମହାତ୍ମା ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ ପ୍ରଣୀତ କରିଥିବା ନିୟମମାନଙ୍କୁ କେବଳ ଶବ୍ଦଶଃ କିମ୍ବା ଅର୍ଧବୋଧରେ ଅନୁସରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ; ତାହାର ସତ୍ୟ ତାତ୍ପର୍ୟ ବୁଝିବା ଦରକାର, ଯେପରି ଶରୀରପାଳନ ଧର୍ମଚ୍ୟୁତିର ଅଜୁହାତ ନ ହୋଇଯାଉ।

Word by Word

• शरीरवृत्तम्: bodily conduct / conduct relating to the body
• शरीरवृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीरवृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थाय: having adopted / resorting to
• आस्थाय: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एषा: this (she/this one)
• एषा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• श्रूयते: is heard / is recited
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: Lat, Atmanepada, Karmani (passive), Third, Singular

• श्रुतिः: scriptural utterance / śruti
• श्रुतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अतिसम्यक्: excessively well / too properly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति + सम्यक् (अव्यय)

• प्रणीतानि: composed / laid down / prescribed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Śruti (Vedic revelation)
• Brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Scriptural and Brahmanical prescriptions about sustaining one’s life (śarīravṛtta) must be understood in their intended ethical spirit; bodily maintenance should not be used as a pretext to dilute or misapply dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he invokes a Śruti statement and cautions about how rules and teachings—especially those concerning livelihood and conduct—can be misunderstood if followed without discerning their proper intent.