Shloka 7

Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma

Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor

Devanagari script

नवनीलोत्पलापीडचारुवर्ण सुदर्शन । दाडिमाशोकपुष्पाक्ष मा त्रसस्वाभयं तव

Transliteration

navanīlotpalāpīḍacāruvarṇa sudarśana | dāḍimāśokapuṣpākṣa mā trasasvābhayaṃ tava ||

Translation

பீஷ்மர் கூறினார்—“புதிய நீலத் தாமரை மாலையைப் போன்ற நிறம் கொண்டவனே, மிக அழகியவனே; மாதுளை, அசோக மலர்களைப் போலச் சிவந்த கண்களையுடையவனே—அஞ்சாதே; நான் உனக்கு அபயம் அளிக்கிறேன்.”

Word by Word

• नवनीलोत्पलापीडचारुवर्ण: O you whose lovely complexion is like an ornament of fresh blue lotuses
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव-नील-उत्पल-आपीड-चारु-वर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सुदर्शन: O handsome one / O fair to behold
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-दर्शन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दाडिमाशोकपुष्पाक्ष: O you whose eyes are like pomegranate and aśoka flowers
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दाडिम-आशोक-पुष्प-अक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मा: do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• त्रसस्व: be afraid / tremble
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रस्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Atmanepada

• अभयम्: fearlessness; protection
• अभयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तव: for you / of you
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• blue lotus (utpala)
• pomegranate (dāḍima)
• aśoka blossoms

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A dharmic protector should remove fear from the vulnerable: offering ‘abhaya’ (fearlessness) is a moral act of guardianship, compassion, and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a frightened person with affectionate, poetic descriptions and reassures them, explicitly granting protection and safety (abhaya).