Shloka 33

Devanagari script

तस्माद्‌ राज्ञा विशेषेण विकर्मस्था द्विजातय: । नियम्या: संविभज्याश्न तदनुग्रहकारणात्‌

Transliteration

tasmād rājñā viśeṣeṇa vikarmasthā dvijātayaḥ | niyamyāḥ saṁvibhajyāśnan tad-anugraha-kāraṇāt ||

Translation

ஆகையால் அரசன் சிறப்பு கவனத்துடன் தவறான நடத்தையில் வீழ்ந்த இருபிறப்பினரை கட்டுப்படுத்த வேண்டும்; உரிய பங்கீடு செய்து அதன் பின்பே அவர்கள் உண்ணுமாறு செய்ய வேண்டும்—இது அவர்களைத் திருத்தி நலமளிக்கும் ஆட்சியனுகிரகத்திற்காகவே.

Word by Word

तस्मात्therefore/from that

राज्ञाby the king

विशेषेणespecially/particularly

विकर्मस्थाःthose engaged in improper acts

द्विजातयःtwice-born (Brahmins etc.)

नियम्याःto be restrained/should be controlled

संविभज्यhaving apportioned/distributed

अश्नन्they eat/partake

तत्of that/its

अनुग्रहकारणात्for the reason of favor/for showing grace

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

rājā (the king)

dvijātayaḥ (the twice-born)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that a king must actively regulate and correct even the twice-born when they fall into wrongful conduct, and that such restraint and controlled provision is meant as compassionate governance aimed at their reform and welfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma is advising the ruler on how to handle social and moral disorder: those dvijas engaged in vikarma should be restrained and made to partake only under proper regulation, as a corrective measure.