Shloka 7

Śiśupāla-vākya: Bhīṣma-nindā and the ‘Haṃsa’ Exemplum (शिशुपालवाक्यम् — भीष्मनिन्दा, हंसदृष्टान्तः)

Devanagari script

क्षत्रिय: क्षत्रियं जित्वा रणे रणकृतां वर: । यो मुज्चति वशे कृत्वा गुरुर्भवति तस्य सः,जो योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ क्षत्रिय जिसे युद्धमें जीतकर अपने वशमें करके छोड़ देता है, वह उस पराजित क्षत्रियके लिये गुरुतुल्य पूज्य हो जाता है

Transliteration

kṣatriyaḥ kṣatriyaṃ jitvā raṇe raṇakṛtāṃ varaḥ | yo muñcati vaśe kṛtvā gurur bhavati tasya saḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—యోధులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడు ఆ క్షత్రియుడు; యుద్ధంలో మరో క్షత్రియుణ్ని జయించి వశపరచి, తరువాత విడిచిపెడతాడు. ఓడినవాడికి అటువంటి విజేతుడు గురువులా పూజ్యుడవుతాడు.

Word by Word

क्षत्रियःa kshatriya (warrior)

क्षत्रियम्a kshatriya (opponent)

जित्वाhaving conquered

रणेin battle

रणकृताम्of the battle-makers (fighters)

वरःbest, excellent

यःwho

मुञ्चतिreleases, lets go

वशेunder control, in subjection

कृत्वाhaving made (having brought)

गुरुःa teacher; venerable one

भवतिbecomes

तस्यof him, for him

सःhe

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

kṣatriya (warrior)

battle (raṇa)

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?

True excellence in a warrior is not merely defeating an opponent but exercising restraint after victory—subduing and then releasing the defeated. Such mercy transforms power into moral authority, making the victor ‘guru-like’ to the vanquished.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is articulating a norm of kṣatriya conduct: in the context of battle and rivalry, the highest warrior is one who can conquer yet chooses to spare. The statement frames mercy as a form of superiority that earns reverence even from the defeated.