Shloka 4

कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः

Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच एवमुक्तस्तुलाधारो ब्राह्मणेन यशस्विना । उवाच धर्मसूक्ष्माणि वैश्यो धर्मार्थतत्त्ववित्‌,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! यशस्वी ब्राह्मण जाजलिके इस प्रकार पूछनेपर धर्म और अर्थके तत्त्वको जाननेवाले तुलाधार वैश्यने उन्हें धर्म-सम्बन्धी सूक्ष्म बातोंको इस तरह बताना आरम्भ किया

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca evam uktas tulādhāro brāhmaṇena yaśasvinā | uvāca dharmasūkṣmāṇi vaiśyo dharmārthatattvavit ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—రాజా! యశస్వి బ్రాహ్మణుడు ఇలా అడిగినప్పుడు, ధర్మార్థ తత్త్వాలను తెలిసిన వైశ్యుడు తులాధారుడు ధర్మంలోని సూక్ష్మాంశాలను వివరించడం ప్రారంభించాడు.

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid/spoke

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been addressed/said to

तुलाधारःTuladhara (the balance-holder; name)

ब्राह्मणेनby the Brahmin

यशस्विनाfamous, illustrious

उवाचsaid

धर्मसूक्ष्माणिsubtle points of dharma

वैश्यःthe Vaishya

धर्मार्थतत्त्ववित्knower of the truth of dharma and artha

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Tuladhara

Jajali (the Brahmin interlocutor)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Tulādhāra as a reliable ethical authority: he is presented as one who knows the subtle nuances of dharma and also understands artha (practical welfare). The core point is that true moral instruction requires discernment of fine distinctions, not merely rigid rule-following, and that wisdom can reside beyond one’s social category.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates that the Brahmin Jājali has questioned Tulādhāra. In response, Tulādhāra begins his instruction, setting the stage for a detailed exposition on nuanced dharma.