Shloka 23

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

न हाकामेन संवासं मनुरेवं प्रशंसति । अयशस्यथमधर्म्य च यन्मृषा धर्मकोपनम्‌

Transliteration

na hākāmena saṃvāsaṃ manur evaṃ praśaṃsati | ayaśasyam adharmyaṃ ca yan mṛṣā dharmakopanam ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «Ману (Manu) не одобряет сожительства, если оно не желанно для обоих. Потому попытка объявить недействительным брак, решённый общим согласием, становится причиной бесчестья и адхармы; её считают деянием, подрывающим саму дхарму».

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• अकामेन: by/with an unwilling (person)
• अकामेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकाम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• संवासम्: cohabitation/living together
• संवासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• प्रशंसति: praises/approves
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अयशस्य: of ill-repute/disgrace
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयशस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अधर्म्यम्: unrighteous/against dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मृषा: falsely/into falsehood
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृषा

• धर्मकोपनम्: the upsetting/ruining of dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-कोपन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Manu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cohabitation and marital union should not be forced or one-sided; attempting to overturn a mutually settled marriage is condemned as disgraceful and adharmic, because it destabilizes the moral-legal order (dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he cites Manu’s authority to frame a rule of ethical conduct regarding marriage: lack of consent and attempts to nullify a socially agreed marriage are treated as violations that damage dharma.