Shloka 16

Devanagari script

न केनचिद्‌ याचितव्य: कश्रित्किज्चिदनापदि । इति व्यवस्था भूतानां पुरस्तान्मनुना कृता,मनुजीने बहुत पहलेसे समस्त प्राणियोंके लिये यह नियम बना दिया है कि आपत्तिकालको छोड़कर अन्य समयमें कोई किसीसे कुछ न माँगे

Transliteration

na kenacid yācitavyaḥ kaścit kiñcid anāpadi | iti vyavasthā bhūtānāṃ purastān manunā kṛtā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: In times free from distress, no one should beg anything from anyone. Such a rule for all living beings was laid down long ago by Manu—so that self-restraint and dignity, not dependence, may guide ordinary life, while need alone may justify asking.

Word by Word

नnot

केनचित्by anyone

याचितव्यःshould be begged/asked for

कश्चित्someone/anyone

किञ्चित्anything/something

अनापदिin non-calamity (i.e., when there is no emergency)

इतिthus/so (quotative)

व्यवस्थाrule/arrangement

भूतानाम्of beings/creatures

पुरस्तात्formerly/earlier

मनुनाby Manu

कृताmade/established

Speaker

भीष्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Manu

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Outside of emergency or distress (anāpadi), one should not ask or beg from others; restraint and independence are upheld as a general rule of dharma, with exceptions allowed only in genuine hardship.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira principles of proper conduct, citing an ancient ordinance attributed to Manu to frame when requesting help is permissible.