Shloka 11

Bhīṣma’s Dream-Counsel and the Prasvāpa Astra (भीष्मस्वप्नदर्शनम् / प्रस्वापास्त्रोपदेशः)

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियस्थ तु धर्मोड्यं यद्‌ युद्धे भूगुनन्दन । स्वाध्यायो व्रतचर्याथ ब्राह्मणानां परं धनम्‌

Transliteration

kṣatriyasya tu dharmo ’yaṃ yad yuddhe bhṛgunandana | svādhyāyo vratacaryā ca brāhmaṇānāṃ paraṃ dhanam ||

Translation

ହେ ଭୃଗୁନନ୍ଦନ! କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଙ୍କର ଧର୍ମ ହେଉଛି ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଅଟୁଟ ରହିବା; କିନ୍ତୁ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କର ପରମ ଧନ ହେଉଛି ବେଦସ୍ୱାଧ୍ୟାୟ ଓ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ବ୍ରତାଚରଣ।

Word by Word

• क्षत्रियस्य: of a Kshatriya
• क्षत्रियस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• धर्मः: duty/dharma
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उद्यमः: endeavor/effort
• उद्यमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्: namely/that which
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भृगुनन्दन: O descendant/delight of Bhrigu
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• स्वाध्यायः: Vedic self-study/recitation
• स्वाध्यायः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्रतचर्या: observance of vows
• व्रतचर्या: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतचर्या
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• परम्: supreme/highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धनम्: wealth/treasure
• धनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भृगुनन्दन: O descendant/delight of Bhrigu
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगुनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhṛgunandana (descendant of Bhṛgu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma distinguishes role-based dharma: a kṣatriya’s righteousness is expressed through courage and duty in battle, while a brāhmaṇa’s highest good lies in Vedic study (svādhyāya) and disciplined observance of vows (vrata).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel and deliberations before the great war, Bhīṣma instructs a Bhārgava interlocutor by clarifying what constitutes proper conduct for different social roles, emphasizing that dharma is contextual to one’s station and discipline.