Shloka 20
अहिंसा-प्रधान धर्मविचारः
Ahiṃsā as the Superior Dharma: Practical and Scriptural Reasoning
Devanagari script
पुनरेव ततो राजन मौनमातिष्ठदुत्तमम्
Transliteration
punar eva tato rājan maunam ātiṣṭhad uttamam
Translation
Então, mais uma vez, ó rei, ele retomou o silêncio supremo (mauna).
Word by Word
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
ततःthen/from that (time)
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
मौनम्silence
मौनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमौन
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
आतिष्ठत्he adopted/observed
आतिष्ठत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootआ-स्था
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
उत्तमम्excellent/supreme
उत्तमम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्तम
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
पितामह उवाच
Characters & Entities
प
पितामह (Bhīṣma)र
राजन् (Yudhiṣṭhira, implied addressee)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
The verse highlights mauna (disciplined silence) as a superior practice of self-restraint—knowing when to speak and when to return to inward steadiness is presented as ethically elevating.
In Bhīṣma’s discourse to King Yudhiṣṭhira in the Śānti Parva, after a segment of instruction, the described figure (within Bhīṣma’s narration) again adopts profound silence, marking a pause or completion of counsel.