Shloka 15

मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169

Devanagari script

पानपो द्वेषण: क्रोधी निर्घण: परुषस्तथा । परोपतापी मित्रश्चुक्‌ तथा प्राणिवधे रत:

Transliteration

pānapo dveṣaṇaḥ krodhī nirghṛṇaḥ paruṣas tathā | paropatāpī mitradhruk tathā prāṇivadhē rataḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—మద్యపానానికి బానిసైనవాడు, ద్వేషంతో నడిచేవాడు, త్వరగా కోపపడేవాడు, కరుణలేని వాడు, కఠిన వాక్యాలు పలికేవాడు, ఇతరులను బాధించడంలో నిమగ్నుడు, మిత్రద్రోహి, ప్రాణివధలో రతుడు—అటువంటివాడితో ఎప్పుడూ సంధి చేయరాదు.

Word by Word

• पानपः: drunkard, addicted to drinking
• पानपः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पानप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्वेषणः: hateful, one who bears hatred
• द्वेषणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वेषण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधी: wrathful
• क्रोधी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोधिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्घृणः: merciless, without compassion
• निर्घृणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्घृण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परुषः: harsh, cruel in speech/behavior
• परुषः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and also; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• परोपतापी: one who torments others
• परोपतापी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परोपतापिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मित्रद्रुक्: traitor to friends; one who harms friends
• मित्रद्रुक्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मित्रद्रुह्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and also; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• प्राणिवधे: in the killing of living beings
• प्राणिवधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिवध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• रतः: engaged, devoted (to)
• रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that alliances (sandhi) must be based on reliable character. A person ruled by intoxication, hatred, anger, cruelty, harshness, oppression, betrayal, and violence cannot sustain trust; making peace or pact with such a person invites harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira about political and ethical prudence. Here he lists types of people unfit for alliance and signals that he will next describe those who are fit partners for peace and cooperation.