Shloka 2

ऋत्विग्धर्मः, दक्षिणा-न्यायः, तपसः परमार्थः

Ritvij-Dharma, the Norm of Dakṣiṇā, and the Higher Meaning of Tapas

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच प्रतिकर्म पराचार ऋत्विजां सम विधीयते । छन्‍्द: सामादि विज्ञाय द्विजानां श्रुतमेव च

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | pratikarma parācāra ṛtvijāṃ sam vidhīyate | chandaḥ sāmādi vijñāya dvijānāṃ śrutam eva ca ||

Translation

Бхишма сказал: «О царь, надлежит должным образом утвердить правильные обязанности и строгий уклад поведения жрецов-совершителей (ṛtvij). Лишь те двиджи — “дваждырождённые”, — кто постиг ведические размеры (chandas), знает Веды, начиная с Самаведы (Sāman), и твёрдо основан на священном предании (śruti), пригодны служить ритвиками. И такие жрецы, следуя своему главному правилу, должны совершать для царя обряды, дарующие мир и благоденствие».

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रतिकर्म: the proper/appropriate rite (service/ritual act)
• प्रतिकर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पराचार: O Parāśara’s descendant / O Parācāra (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराचार
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ऋत्विजाम्: of the priests (ṛtviks)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• समम्: properly / duly / equally
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विधीयते: is prescribed / is enjoined / is performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

• छन्दः: meter / chandas
• छन्दः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सामादि: Sāma etc. (i.e., the Vedas beginning with Sāma)
• सामादि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामादि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विज्ञाय: having known
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• द्विजानाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्रुतम्: Vedic learning / what is heard (śruti)
• श्रुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• the king (Yudhishthira implied)
• ṛtvij (officiating priests)
• dvija (twice-born/Brahmins)
• chandas (Vedic metres)
• Sāma (Sāmaveda)
• śruti (Veda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that royal welfare rites should be entrusted only to properly trained Brahmin priests—those grounded in Vedic metres and Vedic revelation—because ritual authority depends on learning and disciplined conduct, and it supports peace and prosperity in the kingdom.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma instructs the king on governance and dharma. Here he turns to the role and qualifications of officiating priests (ṛtviks), emphasizing their learning and proper conduct as the basis for performing auspicious rites for the ruler.