Shloka 231

Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)

Devanagari script

रक्षाविधानं मनसा स संचिन्त्य महातपा:

Transliteration

rakṣāvidhānaṃ manasā sa sañcintya mahātapāḥ

Translation

Bhishma disse: Tendo ponderado em sua mente os meios apropriados de proteção, aquele grande asceta prosseguiu com cautela deliberada—mostrando que salvaguardar os outros deve ser guiado por reflexão, disciplina e intenção reta, e não por impulso.

Word by Word

• रक्षाविधानम्: arrangement/procedure of protection
• रक्षाविधानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा-विधान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

• संचिन्त्य: having reflected/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-चिन्त्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• महातपाः: the great ascetic (of great austerity)
• महातपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातपस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Protection (rakṣā) should be planned with thoughtful deliberation (sañcintya manasā) and grounded in disciplined, dharmic intent—implying that ethical safeguarding requires foresight and self-restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a figure characterized as a great ascetic (mahātapāḥ) who first reflects on the appropriate protective arrangement (rakṣāvidhāna) before acting, emphasizing careful planning in matters of security and duty.