Shloka 366

Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ

The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows

Devanagari script

तस्माद्‌ वक्त व्यमेवेदं त्वयावश्यमशेषत: । राजन्‌! आप इन राजाओंको उसी प्रकार उत्तम नीतिका उपेदश करें

Transliteration

tasmād vaktavyam evedaṃ tvayāvaśyam aśeṣataḥ | rājan! āp imān rājāno'pi tathā uttama-nīti-kopadeśaṃ kuryāḥ, yathā pitā sva-putraṃ sad-dharme śikṣayati | tvaṃ devān ṛṣīṃś ca sadā upāsitavān asi; tasmāt tvayāvaśyaṃ sarva-dharmopadeśaḥ kartavyaḥ |

Translation

Посему, о царь, ты непременно должен изложить это учение полностью, без остатка. Как отец наставляет сына в праведном поведении, так и ты наставляй этих царей в высших началах нити — государственном искусстве и нравственности. Ты всегда почитал богов и благоговел перед риши; потому на тебе лежит обязанность передать всецелое наставление о дхарме.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that reason
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• वक्तव्यम्: is to be said / should be spoken
• वक्तव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, obligation (should be said)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• अवश्यम्: certainly/necessarily
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्यम्

• अशेषतः: completely/without remainder
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अशेष
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्यय (adverbial -तः)

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• King (Rājan)
• kings (rājānaḥ)
• gods (devāḥ)
• sages (ṛṣayaḥ)
• father (pitā)
• son (putra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king who has cultivated reverence for gods and sages is obligated to teach dharma fully—especially the highest standards of ethical governance—guiding other rulers as a father guides a son.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses a king and urges him to deliver complete instruction on dharma and sound policy to the assembled kings, grounding the authority to teach in the king’s lifelong devotion and respect for divine and sage traditions.