Shloka 17

Gautama–Yama Saṃvāda: Mātṛ-Pitṛ-Ṛṇa (Debt to Parents) and Śubha-Loka Attainment

Devanagari script

यदि गुह्ां न वो नित्य॑ तदा प्रब्रूत मा चिरम्‌ न गुहां श्रोतुमिच्छामि युष्मद्भ्यो द्विजसत्तमा:,“यदि आपके लिये सदा यह कोई गोपनीय रहस्य न हो तो शीघ्र इसका वर्णन कीजिये। विप्रवरों! मैं आपलोगोंसे ऐसी कोई बात नहीं सुनना चाहता, जो गोपनीय रहस्य हो

Transliteration

yadi guhyaṁ na vo nityaṁ tadā prabrūta mā ciram | na guhyaṁ śrotum icchāmi yuṣmadbhyo dvijasattamāḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను— “ఇది మీలో నిత్యంగా గోప్యరహస్యంగా ఉంచవలసినది కాకపోతే, ఆలస్యం చేయక చెప్పండి. ఓ ద్విజశ్రేష్ఠులారా! గోప్యంగా దాచవలసిన రహస్యాన్ని నేను మీ నుండి వినదలచుకోను.”

Word by Word

• {'yadi': 'if', 'guhyam': 'secret, confidential matter

• esoteric teaching', 'na': 'not', 'vaḥ (vo)': 'of you, to you (plural)', 'nityam': 'always, perpetually', 'tadā': 'then', 'prabrūta': 'tell, declare (imperative, plural)', 'mā': 'do not (prohibitive) / here: ‘do not (delay)’ with ciram', 'ciram': 'for long

• delay', 'śrotum': 'to hear', 'icchāmi': 'I wish, I desire', 'yuṣmadbhyaḥ': 'from you (plural, ablative)', 'dvijasattamāḥ': 'O best of the twice-born (address to eminent brāhmaṇas/sages)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• dvijasattamāḥ (brahmin sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma sets an ethical boundary for instruction: teachings should be shared openly only when appropriate; he refuses to receive knowledge that is meant to remain confidential, emphasizing responsible transmission of doctrine.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Bhīṣma addresses learned brāhmaṇas/sages and urges them to speak promptly—provided the matter is not a guarded secret—indicating his concern for propriety in hearing and teaching.