Shloka 153

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

कस्यचितन्नाभिजानामि प्रीतिं निष्कारणामिह । “यह जीव-जगत्‌ स्वार्थका ही साथी है। कोई किसीका प्रिय नहीं है। दो सगे भाइयों तथा पति और पत्नीमें भी जो परस्पर प्रेम होता है, वह भी स्वार्थवश ही है। इस जगत्‌में किसीके भी प्रेमको मैं निष्कारण (स्वार्थरहित) नहीं समझता ।।

Transliteration

kasyacit tan nābhijānāmi prītiṁ niṣkāraṇām iha |

Translation

Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Sa daigdig na ito, hindi ko kinikilala ang pag-ibig ninuman bilang tunay na walang dahilan. Ang mga nilalang at lipunan ay nagsasama pangunahin dahil sa pansariling kapakinabangan; walang sinumang mahal sa iba nang walang sanhi. Maging ang pagmamahal ng dalawang magkapatid na tunay, o ng mag-asawa, ay karaniwang nakatali sa sariling pakinabang. Kaya hindi ko itinuturing na ganap na walang-kapalit ang alinmang pag-ibig sa mundong ito.”

Word by Word

• {'kasyacit': 'of anyone

• of some person (genitive singular)', 'tat': 'that (referring to the kind of affection under discussion)', 'na': 'not', 'abhijānāmi': 'I know

• I acknowledge (1st person singular, present)', 'prītiṁ': 'affection

• goodwill (accusative singular)', 'niṣkāraṇām': 'without cause

• disinterested (accusative singular feminine)', 'iha': 'here

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• brothers (generic)
• husband
• wife
• the world (iha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma emphasizes a realistic ethical insight: most human affection is conditioned by causes—benefit, expectation, duty, or attachment—so one should not be naive about motives and should cultivate discernment and detachment while pursuing dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva’s instruction to Yudhishthira, Bhishma is explaining the nature of worldly relationships and motivations, arguing that even intimate bonds commonly operate with underlying reasons rather than pure, causeless love.