Shloka 19
Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma
Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics
Devanagari script
तस्मात् सशेषं कर्तव्यं स्वाधीनमपि दस्युभि: । न बलस्थो5हमस्मीति नृशंसानि समाचरेत्
Transliteration
tasmāt saśeṣaṁ kartavyaṁ svādhīnam api dasyubhiḥ | na balastho 'ham asmīti nṛśaṁsāni samācaret ||
Translation
तस्मात् सशेषं कर्तव्यं स्वाधीनमपि दस्युभिः । न बलस्थोऽहमस्मीति नृशंसानि समाचरेत् ॥
Word by Word
तस्मात्therefore/from that
तस्मात्:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्
Formablative singular (masc/neut)
सशेषम्leaving a remainder; not wholly
सशेषम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootस-शेष
Formaccusative singular (neuter), used adverbially
कर्तव्यम्is to be done/should be done
कर्तव्यम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formgerundive (future passive participle), nominative singular (neuter)
स्वाधीनम्under one’s control; in one’s possession
स्वाधीनम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootस्वाधीन
Formaccusative singular (neuter), used adjectivally/adverbially
अपिeven/also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
Formparticle
दस्युभिःby robbers/outlaws
दस्युभिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदस्यु
Forminstrumental plural (masculine)
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
Formnegation
बलस्थःstanding on strength; powerful
बलस्थः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबलस्थ
Formnominative singular (masculine)
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअहम्
Formnominative singular
अस्मिam
अस्मि:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
Formpresent indicative, 1st person singular, parasmaipada
इतिthus/‘thinking’
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
Formquotative particle
नृशंसानिcruel (acts)
नृशंसानि:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootनृशंस
Formaccusative plural (neuter)
समाचरेत्should practice/should do
समाचरेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-चर्
Formoptative (vidhiling), 3rd person singular, parasmaipada
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaD
dasyu (robbers/bandits)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
Restraint is a baseline moral requirement: even those who seize wealth should not take everything, and no one should justify cruelty by claiming strength or power.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and conduct, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on ethical behavior, using the example of robbers to stress that power must not become a pretext for ruthless action.