Shloka 37

Devanagari script

नैतादशं ब्राह्मणस्यास्ति वित्त यथैकता समता सत्यता च | शीलं स्थितिर्दण्डनिधानमार्जवं ततस्ततश्षोपरम: क्रियाभ्य:

Transliteration

naitādaśaṃ brāhmaṇasyāsti vittaṃ yathaikatā samatā satyatā ca | śīlaṃ sthitir daṇḍanidhānam ārjavaṃ tatastataḥ śoparamaḥ kriyābhyaḥ ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «У брахмана нет богатства, равного этому: единство устремления, равновесие ума и правдивость; благонравие, стойкость, отложенный жезл (отречение от насилия и принуждения) и прямота; и снова и снова — отстранение от мирских деяний. Таковы истинные сокровища, поддерживающие его дхарму».

Word by Word

नnot

एतादृशम्such (of this kind)

ब्राह्मणस्यof a Brahmin

अस्तिis/exists

वित्तम्wealth

यथाas/just as

एकताoneness/unity

समताequanimity/equality

सत्यताtruthfulness

चand

शीलम्good conduct/character

स्थितिःsteadfastness/firmness

दण्डनिधानम्laying down of the rod; non-punishment

आर्जवम्straightforwardness

ततःthereafter/from that

ततःagain/then

उपरमःcessation/withdrawal

क्रियाभ्यःfrom actions/rites

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

brāhmaṇa

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 teaches that a brāhmaṇa’s true wealth is not material property but inner virtues: single-mindedness, equanimity, truthfulness, good conduct, steadiness, non-coercion (laying down the rod), straightforwardness, and repeated withdrawal from worldly action.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he enumerates the qualities that constitute the real ‘treasure’ of a brāhmaṇa, emphasizing ethical restraint and inner discipline over external possessions.