Shloka 17

Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma

Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच श्र॒त्वा श्येनस्य तद्‌ वाक्‍्यं राजर्षिविस्मयं गत: । सम्भाव्य चैनं तद्वाक्यं तदर्थी प्रत्यमभाषत,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठि![ बाजकी यह बात सुनकर राजर्षि उशीनरको बड़ा विस्मय हुआ। वे उसके कथनकी प्रशंसा करके कपोतकी रक्षाके लिये इस प्रकार बोले --

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca śrutvā śyenasy tad vākyam rājarṣi-vismayaṁ gataḥ | sambhāvya cainaṁ tad-vākyaṁ tad-arthī pratyamabhāṣata ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు చెప్పాడు—గద్ద మాటలు విని రాజర్షి ఉశీనరుడు విస్మయానికి లోనయ్యాడు. ఆ మాటలను గౌరవించి ప్రశంసిస్తూ, పావురాన్ని రక్షించాలనే సంకల్పంతో అతడు ప్రత్యుత్తరం ఇచ్చాడు।

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

श्येनस्यof the hawk

तत्that

वाक्यम्speech/statement

राजर्षि-विस्मयम्astonishment of the royal sage

गतःhaving gone to / having attained

सम्भाव्यhaving praised/approved; having shown respect

चand

एनम्him

तत्-वाक्यम्that statement

तत्-अर्थीseeking that (object/purpose); intent on that

प्रत्यभाषतreplied/answered

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Shyena (hawk)

Rajarshi (king-sage, i.e., Uśīnara in this episode)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler committed to dharma must respond thoughtfully even to an opponent’s reasonable claim: he should acknowledge valid arguments, yet remain steadfast in protecting the vulnerable, seeking a just solution rather than acting from impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

The hawk presents its claim; the king-sage, amazed by the hawk’s reasoning, praises it and then replies with the intention of safeguarding the dove—moving the dialogue toward a test of royal righteousness and ethical balance.