Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ये सब-के-सब अन्त्यज (कोल-भील आदि) हैं, जो युद्धसे कभी पीछे नहीं हटते और शरीरका मोह छोड़कर लड़ते हैं। सेनामें ऐसे लोगोंको सदा पुरस्कार देना चाहिये और इन्हें सदा आगे-आगे रखना चाहिये। ये धैर्यपूर्वक शत्रुओंकी मार सहते और उन्हें भी मारते हैं ।। अधार्मिका भिन्नवृत्ता: सान्त्वेनैषां पराभव: । एवमेव प्रकुप्यन्ति राज्ञो5प्येते हभीक्ष्णश:,ये अधर्मी होते हैं, धर्मकी मर्यादा भंग कर देते हैं। इसी तरह ये बारंबार राजापर भी कुपित हो उठते हैं; अतः इन्हें मीठी-मीठी बातोंसे समझा-बुझाकर ही काबूमें करना चाहिये

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ye sarve sarve antyajāḥ (kola-bhīlādayaḥ) santi, ye yuddhāt kadācit na nivartante śarīra-mohaṃ ca tyaktvā yudhyante | senāyāṃ tādṛśān janān sadā puraskartavyān, sadā ca teṣāṃ agre sthānaṃ dātavyam | te dhairyapūrvakaṃ śatrūṇāṃ prahārān sahante, tān api praharanti || adhārmikā bhinna-vṛttāḥ; sāntvenaiṣāṃ parābhavaḥ | evam eva prakupyanti rājño 'py ete habhīkṣṇaśaḥ; ye adharmī bhavanti dharma-maryādāṃ bhaṅktvā vartante | ataḥ etān madhura-vākyaiḥ sāntvayitvā eva vaśe kartavyān ||

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: “Todos estes homens—embora contados entre tribos de baixa condição, como os Kolas e os Bhils—jamais recuam da batalha. Lançando fora o apego ao corpo, lutam adiante. Num exército, tais pessoas devem ser sempre recompensadas e colocadas nas fileiras da frente, pois, com coragem firme, suportam os golpes do inimigo e revidam. Mas os que são adharma e de conduta desviada são melhor subjugados pela conciliação: ao transgredirem os limites do dharma, inflamam-se repetidas vezes até contra o próprio rei. Por isso, devem ser mantidos sob controle por palavras suaves e apaziguadoras.”

Word by Word

अधार्मिकाःunrighteous (people)

भिन्नवृत्ताःof deviating conduct / of different ways

सान्त्वेनby conciliation / by soothing words

एषाम्of these

पराभवःdefeat / subjugation

एवम्thus

एवindeed / just

प्रकुप्यन्तिthey become angry

राज्ञःof the king

अपिalso / even

एतेthese (people)

अभीक्ष्णशःrepeatedly / again and again

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Kolas

Bhils

King (rājā)

Army (senā)

Enemies (śatru)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma advises a king to recognize and reward fearless frontline fighters, while managing unruly and adharmic elements through conciliation—sweet, calming speech—since harshness may provoke repeated rebellion even against royal authority.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and conduct, Bhishma describes certain battle-hardy groups who do not retreat and should be honored in the army, then adds a practical note on governance: those who break dharma’s limits and become repeatedly angry should be controlled primarily by appeasement and persuasion.