Shloka 12

Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa

Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows

Devanagari script

यत्रेच्छागामिनो दान्ता: सर्वशत्रुनिषूदना: । प्रार्थयन्ति च यद्‌ दान्ता लभन्ते तन्न संशय:

Transliteration

yatreच्छāgāmino dāntāḥ sarvaśatruniṣūdanāḥ | prārthayanti ca yad dāntā labhante tan na saṃśayaḥ ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: Самообузданные могут идти куда пожелают, и всё, чего они желают и о чём просят, получают — без сомнения. Обладая таким владычеством, они становятся сокрушителями всех врагов, ибо сила, рожденная их дисциплиной, не оставляет стоять никакому сопротивлению.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र
• Form: indeclinable (locative adverb)

• इच्छा-गामिनः: moving as they wish / going at will
• इच्छा-गामिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इच्छागामिन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• दान्ताः: self-controlled
• दान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सर्व-शत्रु-निषूदनाः: destroyers of all enemies
• सर्व-शत्रु-निषूदनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वशत्रुनिषूदन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• प्रार्थयन्ति: they desire / request
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अर्थ्
• Form: present tense (laṭ), 3rd person, plural, parasmaipada

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• यत्: whatever (thing) which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• दान्ताः: the self-controlled (ones)
• दान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• लभन्ते: they obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ्
• Form: present tense (laṭ), 3rd person, plural, ātmanepada

• तत्: that (very thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: indeclinable (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma emphasizes that disciplined self-control (dama) yields extraordinary efficacy: the restrained person gains freedom of movement and success in aims, and can overcome opposition. Ethically, the verse links inner mastery with outer capability—victory begins with conquering oneself.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he describes the capacities of truly self-controlled individuals: they can go as they wish and obtain what they seek, and thus are portrayed as capable of subduing or destroying enemies. The statement functions as praise of restraint and its practical consequences.