Shanti Parva Adhyaya 122 Shloka 33 - Mahabharata | Sanskrit | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

तेज: कर्माणि पाण्डित्यं वाक्‍शक्तिस्तत्त्वबुद्धिता | एवं दण्डस्य कौरव्य लोके5स्मिन्‌ बहुरूपता

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | tejaḥ karmāṇi pāṇḍityaṃ vāk-śaktis tattva-buddhitā | evaṃ daṇḍasya kauravya loke 'smin bahu-rūpatā ||

Translation

भीष्म उवाच—तेजः कर्माणि पाण्डित्यं वाक्शक्तिस्तत्त्वबुद्धिता। एवं दण्डस्य कौरव्य लोकेऽस्मिन् बहुरूपता॥

Word by Word

तेजःsplendor, energy

कर्माणिactions, deeds

पाण्डित्यम्learning, scholarship

वाक्-शक्तिःpower of speech

तत्त्व-बुद्धिताdiscernment of truth/reality

एवम्thus, in this way

दण्डस्यof punishment/discipline (daṇḍa)

कौरव्यO descendant of Kuru

लोकेin the world

अस्मिन्in this

बहु-रूपताmanifoldness, many forms

अर्थ-अनर्थbenefit and harm

सुख-दुःखpleasure and pain

धर्म-अधर्मrighteousness and unrighteousness

बल-अबलstrength and weakness

दौर्भाग्य-सौभाग्यmisfortune and good fortune

पुण्य-पापmerit and sin

गुण-अवगुणvirtue and fault

काम-अकामdesire and absence of desire

ऋतु-मासseasons and months

दिन-रातday and night

क्षणa moment

प्रमाद-अप्रमादnegligence and vigilance

हर्ष-क्रोधjoy and anger

शम-दमtranquility and self-control

दैव-पुरुषार्थfate and human effort

बन्ध-मोक्षbondage and liberation

भय-अभयfear and fearlessness

हिंसा-अहिंसाviolence and non-violence

तप-यज्ञausterity and sacrifice

संयमrestraint

विष-अविषpoison and non-poison (antidote/harmlessness)

आदिbeginning

अन्तend

मध्यmiddle

कार्य-विस्तारextension/spread of activity

मदpride, intoxication

असावधानताcarelessness

दर्पarrogance

दम्भhypocrisy, ostentation

धैर्यsteadfastness, courage

नीति-अनीतिpolicy/propriety and impropriety

शक्ति-अशक्तिpower and powerlessness

मानhonor, self-esteem

स्तब्धताstiffness, stupefaction

व्यय-अव्ययexpenditure and non-expenditure/saving

विनयhumility, discipline

दानgift, charity

काल-अकालright time and untimeliness

सत्य-असत्यtruth and falsehood

ज्ञानknowledge

श्रद्धा-अश्रद्धाfaith and lack of faith

अकर्मण्यताidleness, inactivity

उद्योगeffort, enterprise

लाभ-हानिgain and loss

जय-पराजयvictory and defeat

तीक्ष्णता-मृदुताharshness and gentleness

मृत्युdeath

आना-जानाcoming and going

विरोध-अविरोधopposition and non-opposition

कर्तव्य-अकर्तव्यwhat ought to be done and what ought not

सबलता-निर्बलताstrength and weakness

असूया-अनसूयाenvy and non-envy

धर्म-अधर्मrighteousness and unrighteousness

लज्जा-अलज्जाshame/modesty and shamelessness

सम्पत्ति-विपत्तिprosperity and adversity

स्थानplace, position

तेजःsplendor, energy

कर्मaction

पाण्डित्यlearning, scholarship

वाक्-शक्तिःpower of speech

तथाand also, likewise

तत्त्व-बोधःknowledge of truth, true understanding

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Kauravya (Yudhiṣṭhira)

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?

Daṇḍa is not merely physical punishment; it is the comprehensive regulating principle that manifests as capacities (tejas, action, learning, speech, discernment) and as the experienced dualities of life (gain/loss, pleasure/pain, dharma/adharma). Through daṇḍa, order is maintained and consequences become intelligible within ethical governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma continues his teaching on statecraft and moral order, explaining that ‘daṇḍa’ pervades worldly life in many forms and names, shaping both personal conduct and the functioning of society.