Shloka 12

अध्याय २२० — बलिवासवसंवादः

Bali–Vāsava Dialogue on Kāla and Steadfastness

Devanagari script

अवैरकृत्‌ सूपचार: समो निन्दाप्रशंसयो: । सुवृत्त: शीलसम्पन्न: प्रसन्नात्मा55त्मवान्‌ प्रभु:

Transliteration

avairakṛt sūpacāraḥ samo nindāpraśaṃsayoḥ | suvṛttaḥ śīlasampannaḥ prasannātmā ātmavān prabhuḥ ||

Translation

अवैरकृत् सूपचारः समो निन्दाप्रशंसयोः । सुवृत्तः शीलसम्पन्नः प्रसन्नात्मा आत्मवान् प्रभुः ॥

Word by Word

अवैरकृत्one who causes no enmity / non-hostile

सूपचारःof good conduct / well-behaved

समःequal, impartial

निन्दा-प्रशंसयोःin blame and praise

सुवृत्तःof good conduct / well-mannered

शीलसम्पन्नःendowed with good character

प्रसन्नात्माof serene mind

आत्मवान्self-possessed, self-controlled

प्रभुःmaster, capable person

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

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?

The verse defines an ideal ethical person: one who does not generate hostility, treats others with courteous conduct, remains steady in praise and blame, and is inwardly serene and self-mastered.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and right conduct; here he lists qualities that mark a virtuous, authoritative person fit to guide or lead through moral steadiness.