Shloka 28

Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद

Devanagari script

अन्तश्नादिश्व मध्यं च कृत्यानां च प्रपठडचनम्‌ | मद: प्रमादो दर्पश्ष दम्भो धैर्य नयानयौ

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | antaḥśnādiś ca madhyaṃ ca kṛtyānāṃ ca prapaṭhaḍacanam | madaḥ pramādo darpaś ca dambho dhairyaṃ nayānayau |

Translation

अन्तश्चादिश्च मध्यं च कृत्यानां च प्रविस्तरः। मदः प्रमादो दर्पश्च दम्भो धैर्यं नयानयौ॥

Word by Word

• अन्तः: end
• अन्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्नादि: the class beginning with 'śnā' (a grammatical group)
• श्नादि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्नादि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• मध्यम्: middle
• मध्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• कृत्यानाम्: of duties/obligatory acts
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• प्रपठ: recite/declare
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+पठ्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मदः: intoxication/pride
• मदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रमादः: carelessness
• प्रमादः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दर्पः: arrogance
• दर्पः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दम्भः: hypocrisy/pretence
• दम्भः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धैर्यम्: steadfastness
• धैर्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• नय: policy/right conduct
• नय: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनयौ: wrong conduct (dual form as given)
• अनयौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अर्थ: benefit/meaning/wealth
• अर्थ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनर्थ: harm/meaninglessness
• अनर्थ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुख: happiness
• सुख: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दुःख: sorrow
• दुःख: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• धर्म: dharma
• धर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अधर्म: unrighteousness
• अधर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बल: strength
• बल: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अबल: weakness
• अबल: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अबल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• दौर्भाग्य: misfortune
• दौर्भाग्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौर्भाग्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सौभाग्य: good fortune
• सौभाग्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभाग्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पुण्य: merit
• पुण्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पाप: sin
• पाप: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गुण: quality/virtue
• गुण: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अवगुण: fault
• अवगुण: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवगुण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काम: desire
• काम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अकाम: absence of desire
• अकाम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऋतु: season
• ऋतु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मास: month
• मास: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दिन: day
• दिन: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• रात्रि: night
• रात्रि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षण: moment
• क्षण: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रमाद: carelessness
• प्रमाद: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अप्रमाद: vigilance
• अप्रमाद: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रमाद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हर्ष: joy
• हर्ष: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोध: anger
• क्रोध: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शम: tranquillity
• शम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दम: self-control
• दम: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दैव: fate/divine factor
• दैव: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषार्थ: human effort
• पुरुषार्थ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बन्ध: bondage
• बन्ध: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मोक्ष: liberation
• मोक्ष: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kuru-nandana (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Daṇḍa (restraint/punitive authority) is not a single act but a broad governing principle that manifests through many conditions and opposites—virtue and vice, prudence and folly, strength and weakness—shaping social order and personal conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rāja-dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira, explaining that the ruler’s instrument of order (daṇḍa) has many forms and is reflected in diverse human qualities and outcomes.