Shloka 20
Devanagari script
एवं संसरमाणानि जीवान्यहमदृष्टवान् । यथा कर्म तथा लाभ इति शास्त्रनिदर्शनम्
Transliteration
evaṁ saṁsaramāṇāni jīvāny aham adṛṣṭavān | yathā karma tathā lābha iti śāstra-nidarśanam ||
Translation
ఇలా సంసారంలో తిరుగాడుతున్న జీవులను నేను స్వయంగా చూశాను. శాస్త్రం చూపే న్యాయం ఇదే— యథా కర్మ, తథా ఫలం।
Word by Word
एवम्thus
एवम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम्
संसरमाणानिwandering (in saṃsāra)
संसरमाणानि:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसंसरत् (धातु: सम्+सृ)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
जीवान्living beings
जीवान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootजीव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootअहम्
FormNominative, Singular
अदृष्टवान्have seen
अदृष्टवान्:
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
FormPerfect (Periphrastic), First, Singular
यथाas / according to
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
कर्मdeed, action
कर्म:
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तथाso, accordingly
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
लाभःgain, result
लाभः:
TypeNoun
Rootलाभ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
शास्त्र-निदर्शनम्scriptural illustration/authority
शास्त्र-निदर्शनम्:
TypeNoun
Rootशास्त्र + निदर्शन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaJ
jīvāḥ (living beings)Ś
śāstra (scriptural authority)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
The verse teaches moral causality: the fruits one receives in life are shaped by one’s own actions—good or harmful deeds lead to corresponding outcomes. This is presented not merely as opinion but as a principle affirmed by śāstra.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhīṣma speaks as a teacher to the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira in the broader frame), grounding his counsel in both personal observation of beings in saṁsāra and in scriptural testimony.