Shloka 12

Durgātitaraṇa—Conduct for Crossing Difficulties (दुर्गातितरणम्)

Devanagari script

जो लोग प्राण जानेका अवसर उपस्थित होनेपर भी सत्य बोलना नहीं छोड़ते, वे सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके विश्वासपात्र बने रहकर सभी दु:खोंसे पार हो जाते हैं ।। कर्माण्यकुहकार्थानि येषां वाचश्व सूनृता: । येषामर्थाश्व सम्बद्धा दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते

Transliteration

karmāṇy akuhakārthāni yeṣāṃ vācaś ca sūnṛtāḥ | yeṣām arthāś ca sambaddhā durgāṇy atitaranti te ||

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: Aqueles que não abandonam a verdade mesmo quando se apresenta a ocasião de perder a vida; cujas ações estão livres de engano, cuja fala é suave e verdadeira, e cujas palavras concordam com a intenção real—tais pessoas tornam-se dignas de confiança para todos os seres e, assim, atravessam até as passagens mais duras de sofrimento e perigo.

Word by Word

कर्माणिactions, deeds

अकुहक-अर्थानिhaving the purpose of non-deceit (not for trickery)

येषाम्of whom, whose

वाचःwords, speech

चand

सूनृताःtruthful/gentle utterances

येषाम्of whom, whose

अर्थाःpurposes/meanings/intentions

चand

सम्बद्धाःconnected, consistent (with truth)

दुर्गाणिdifficulties, hard passages

अतितरन्तिcross over, surmount

तेthey

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches integrity: actions should be free from deceit, speech should be truthful and gentle, and one’s stated meaning should match one’s real intention. Such alignment makes one trustworthy and helps one overcome severe hardships.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira on ethical conduct. Here he highlights truthful, non-deceptive action and speech as practical virtues that earn universal trust and enable a person to pass through crises.