Shloka 15

Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)

Devanagari script

नामित्रो विनिकर्तव्यो नातिच्छेद्य:ः कथठ्चन । जीवित हाृप्यतिच्छिन्न: संत्यजेच्च कदाचन

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | nāmitro vinikartavyo nāticchedyaḥ kathaṃcana | jīvitaṃ hṛpyaticchinnaḥ saṃtyajec ca kadācana ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଶତ୍ରୁ ସହ ଛଳ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ; କୌଣସି ପ୍ରକାରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତାକୁ ଅତ୍ୟଧିକ ଉଚ୍ଛିନ୍ନ କରିବା ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ। ଯଦି କାହାର ଜୀବିକା ଛିନି ନିଆଯାଏ ଏବଂ ତାକୁ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଭାବେ ଆହତ କରାଯାଏ, ତେବେ ସେ ନିରାଶାରେ କେବେ କେବେ ପ୍ରାଣ ମଧ୍ୟ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିପାରେ।

Word by Word

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

• अमित्रः: enemy
• अमित्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विनिकर्तव्यः: to be cut down / to be mutilated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनि-√कृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (तव्यत्), Passive necessity

• न: nor / not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अतिच्छेद्यः: to be excessively cut / to be cut to pieces
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-√छिद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (यत्), Passive necessity

• कथंचन: in any way / at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

• जीवितम्: life
• जीवितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हृतः: taken away / deprived
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √हृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त), Passive

• अतिच्छिन्नः: excessively cut / grievously wounded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-√छिद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त), Passive

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्यजेत्: might abandon / should give up
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज्
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• कदाचन: ever / at any time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• enemy (amitra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in conflict, dharma requires restraint: do not mutilate or excessively harm an enemy. Cruel overkill that destroys a person’s capacity to live can drive him to despair and self-destruction, which is ethically blameworthy.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on humane limits in warfare and punishment, warning against brutal treatment of foes.