Shloka 13

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मद्विड्‌ भविता तं॑ वै हनिष्यामीति भार्गव । शरणार्थे प्रपन्नानां भीतानां शरणार्थिनाम्‌

Transliteration

brahmadviḍ bhavitā taṁ vai haniṣyāmīti bhārgava | śaraṇārthe prapannānāṁ bhītānāṁ śaraṇārthinām ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు అన్నాడు—“ఓ భార్గవా! అతడు బ్రాహ్మణద్వేషిగా మారినా, నేను నిశ్చయంగా అతనిని సంహరిస్తాను—ఇదే నా ప్రకటన. ఎందుకంటే భయంతో శరణు కోరుతూ వచ్చినవారిని, రక్షణ కోసం ఆశ్రయించినవారిని ఆశ్రయధర్మం ద్వారా వదలరాదు.”

Word by Word

ब्रह्मद्विट्hater of Brahmins / one who hates Brahman

भविताwill be / is going to be

तम्him

वैindeed

हनिष्यामिI will kill

इतिthus (quotative)

भार्गवO Bhārgava (descendant of Bhṛgu)

शरणार्थेfor refuge / in the matter of refuge

प्रपन्नानाम्of those who have sought (refuge), surrendered

भीतानाम्of the frightened

शरणार्थिनाम्of those seeking refuge

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Bhārgava (Paraśurāma)

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?

The verse emphasizes the dharma of granting protection to those who seek refuge—especially the frightened and surrendered. Even when harsh action is contemplated, the ethical frame is that a protector must not abandon the duty of sheltering the vulnerable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses Bhārgava (Paraśurāma) and declares his resolve to slay a certain person if necessary, while invoking the principle that those who have come for refuge and are afraid must be protected—highlighting the tension between martial resolve and the obligation of refuge.