Shloka 24

Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)

Devanagari script

दस्यवश्लवापि नैच्छन्त तमत्तुं पापकारिणम्‌ | क्रव्यादा अपि राजेन्द्र कृतघ्नं नोपभुज्जते

Transliteration

dasyavaślavāpi naicchanta tam attuṃ pāpakāriṇam | kravyādā api rājendra kṛtaghnaṃ nopabhuñjate ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: Даже разбойники не пожелали есть плоть того злодея. О царь, даже плотоядные твари не вкушают тела неблагодарного человека — столь велико отвращение, которое внушает неблагодарность.

Word by Word

• दस्यवः: robbers/dasyus
• दस्यवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• श्वा: a dog
• श्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

• इच्छन्ति: desire/wish
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• तम्: him/that (person)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अत्तुम्: to eat
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• पापकारिणम्: evil-doing/sinful (one)
• पापकारिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापकारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्रव्यादाः: flesh-eaters/carnivores
• क्रव्यादाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रव्याद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कृतघ्नम्: ungrateful (one)
• कृतघ्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतघ्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• उपभुञ्जते: eat/enjoy/consume
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपभुज्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira (implied by 'rājendra')
• dasyu (bandits/robbers)
• kravyāda (flesh-eating creatures)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ingratitude (kṛtaghnatā) is portrayed as a grave moral stain: it is so repulsive that even those who live by violence (bandits) and even carnivores are said to reject association with it. The verse uses hyperbole to stress that gratitude is a foundational virtue in dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma, instructing the king in Shanti Parva’s ethical discourse, cites a pointed observation: a sinful wrongdoer who is also ungrateful is considered unfit even as food. The statement functions as a moral exemplum within Bhishma’s counsel on righteous conduct.