Shloka 23

Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma

Devanagari script

न हाकामेन संवासं मनुरेवं प्रशंसति । अयशस्यथमधर्म्य च यन्मृषा धर्मकोपनम्‌

Transliteration

na hākāmena saṃvāsaṃ manur evaṃ praśaṃsati | ayaśasyam adharmyaṃ ca yan mṛṣā dharmakopanam ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—منو ایسے ہم بستری کی تعریف نہیں کرتے جو باہمی رضا کے بغیر ہو۔ لہٰذا باہمی اتفاق سے طے شدہ شادی کو باطل ثابت کرنے کی کوشش رسوائی اور اَدھرم کا سبب بنتی ہے؛ اسے دھرم کو کمزور کرنے والا عمل سمجھا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• अकामेन: by/with an unwilling (person)
• अकामेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकाम
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• संवासम्: cohabitation/living together
• संवासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• प्रशंसति: praises/approves
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस्
• Form: Present (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अयशस्य: of ill-repute/disgrace
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयशस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अधर्म्यम्: unrighteous/against dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मृषा: falsely/into falsehood
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृषा

• धर्मकोपनम्: the upsetting/ruining of dharma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-कोपन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Manu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cohabitation and marital union should not be forced or one-sided; attempting to overturn a mutually settled marriage is condemned as disgraceful and adharmic, because it destabilizes the moral-legal order (dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he cites Manu’s authority to frame a rule of ethical conduct regarding marriage: lack of consent and attempts to nullify a socially agreed marriage are treated as violations that damage dharma.