Shloka 17

Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu

Gṛhastha-Vrata

Devanagari script

यज्वा च दान्तो मेधावी ब्रह्माण्य: सत्यसड्र: | न चावमन्ता दाता च वेदवेदाड़्रपारग:

Transliteration

yajvā ca dānto medhāvī brahmaṇyaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ | na cāvamantā dātā ca vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ ||

Translation

பீஷ்மர் கூறினார்— அவர் யாகங்களைச் செய்தவர், தன்னடக்கம் உடையவர், அறிவாளி; பிராமணர்களுக்கு அர்ப்பணிப்புடையவர், சத்தியத்தில் உறுதியானவர். எவரையும் அவமதிக்காதவர், தானத்தில் உதாரமானவர்; வேதங்களிலும் வேதாங்கங்களிலும் முழுப் புலமை பெற்றவர்.

Word by Word

• यज्वा: sacrificer; performer of yajña
• यज्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• दान्तः: self-controlled; restrained
• दान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मेधावी: intelligent; wise
• मेधावी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेधाविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मण्यः: devoted to Brahmins; pious
• ब्रह्मण्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यसङ्गरः: one whose resolve is for truth; true to his vow
• सत्यसङ्गरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसङ्गर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• अवमन्ता: one who insults; despiser
• अवमन्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवमन्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दाता: giver; donor
• दाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas; one who has mastered them
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदवेदाङ्गपारग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical ideal: true excellence combines ritual responsibility (yajña), inner discipline (dama), intelligence (medhā), reverence for sacred learning and Brahmins (brahmaṇya), unwavering truthfulness (satya), humility (non-contempt), generosity (dāna), and mastery of scriptural knowledge (Veda and Vedāṅgas).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a person’s commendable qualities in the context of instruction on dharma, listing virtues that mark a worthy and cultured leader or noble individual—especially generosity, restraint, and Vedic competence.