Shloka 9

Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications

Devanagari script

उपस्थोदरयोवेंगो मृत्युवेगश्च॒ दारुण: । ईष्यविगश्न बलवान्‌ मिथ्यावेगश्च दुर्जय:

Transliteration

upasthodarayoḥ vegau mṛtyuvegaś ca dāruṇaḥ | īrṣyā-vegaś ca balavān mithyā-vegaś ca durjayaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma disse: “Os impulsos do órgão sexual e do ventre (o apetite) são poderosos; o ímpeto rumo à morte é terrível. A onda do ciúme é forte, e o impulso para a falsidade é difícil de vencer.”

Word by Word

उपस्थthe genitals/sexual organ

उदरthe belly

योःof which two (of these two)

वेगःimpulse/urge

मृत्यु-वेगःthe death-like impulse (urge leading to death)

चand

दारुणःterrible/cruel

ईर्ष्या-वेगःthe impulse of jealousy

चand

बलवान्powerful

मिथ्या-वेगःthe impulse toward falsehood (lying)

चand

दुर्जयःhard to conquer/overcome

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

death

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?

Bhīṣma highlights several overpowering inner drives—lust, appetite, jealousy, and the tendency to lie—warning that ethical life (dharma) requires vigilant self-mastery over these impulses, since they easily lead to personal and social ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising on righteous conduct by listing formidable human urges that obstruct virtue and clear judgment, framing them as forces that must be restrained for moral stability.