Shloka 17

Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियेषु न विश्वास: कार्य: सर्वापकारिषु । अपकृत्यापि सतत सान्त्वयन्ति निरर्थकम्‌

Transliteration

kṣatriyeṣu na viśvāsaḥ kāryaḥ sarvāpakāriṣu | apakṛtyāpi satataṃ sāntvayanti nirarthakam ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—సర్వ విధాల హాని చేయుటకు దురాశపడిన క్షత్రియులపై విశ్వాసం పెట్టకూడదు. వారు అపకారం చేసిన తరువాత కూడా పదే పదే వ్యర్థమైన సాంత్వన మాటలు చెబుతారు.

Word by Word

• क्षत्रियेषु: among kshatriyas
• क्षत्रियेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• विश्वासः: trust, confidence
• विश्वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्यः: to be done; should be placed (i.e., should be put)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (करणे) + यत् (कार्य)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सर्व: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अपकारिषु: among wrongdoers / those who harm
• अपकारिषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपकारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अपकृत्य: having harmed; after doing injury
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप + कृ (करणे)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सततम्: always, continually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• सान्त्वयन्ति: they conciliate, they soothe
• Type: Verb
• Root: सान्त्वय (सान्त्वने) / सान्त्व्
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• निरर्थकम्: in vain; meaningless (thing/act)
• निरर्थकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरर्थक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma warns that trust should be withheld from those whose nature is to harm; soothing words offered after wrongdoing can be strategic and empty, so ethical discernment must outweigh pleasant speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the instruction-filled Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma continues advising on conduct and statecraft, cautioning the listener against relying on warrior-rulers who injure others and then attempt to pacify them with futile consolations.