Shanti Parva Adhyaya 173 Shloka 8 - Mahabharata | Thai | Vedapath

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Shloka 8

Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)

Devanagari script

स्वाध्यायेन वियुक्तो हि ब्रह्म॒वर्चसवर्जित: । तद्व्र॒तस्तत्र मे शंका हन्यात्‌ तं॑ स द्विजाधम:

Transliteration

svādhyāyena viyukto hi brahmavarcasa-varjitaḥ | tadvratas tatra me śaṅkā hanyāt taṃ sa dvijādhamaḥ ||

Translation

เพราะเขาเป็นผู้ขาดสวาธยายะและไร้รัศมีพราหมณ์ ความประพฤติก็ดูเอนเอียงไปทางความทารุณ ด้วยเหตุนั้นเราจึงสงสัยเขา เกรงว่าสมณะพราหมณ์ผู้ต่ำช้านั้นจะฆ่าเพื่อนของเราเสีย

Word by Word

स्वाध्यायेनby/with (the) self-study (Vedic recitation)

वियुक्तःdeprived, separated

हिindeed, for

ब्रह्मवर्चसवर्जितःdevoid of brahmic splendor/tejas

तत्that

व्रतःvow, observance; (one) of such conduct

तत्रthere, in that matter

मेmy, of me

शङ्काdoubt, suspicion

हन्यात्might kill, may slay

तम्him

सःhe

द्विजाधमःthe lowest of the twice-born

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma (भीष्म)

a base/unworthy Brahmin (द्विजाधम)

Bhishma's friend (मित्र)

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 links ethical reliability to disciplined learning: one who abandons svādhyāya and lacks brahmavarcasa (the moral-spiritual authority born of Vedic discipline) is portrayed as prone to harmful conduct, and thus becomes an object of justified caution.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma expresses apprehension about an unworthy Brahmin whose lack of Vedic study and spiritual radiance makes him seem violent; Bhishma fears that this person may harm (even kill) Bhishma’s friend.