Shloka 6

जनकस्य युद्धोपदेशः — Janaka’s Instruction on Steadfast Battle-Conduct

Devanagari script

तान्‌ दृष्टवारीन्‌ विजयत भूत्वा संत्यागबुद्धय: । नरकस्याप्रतिष्ठस्य मा भूत वशवर्तिन:,“उन स्वर्ग और नरक दोनों प्रकारके लोकोंका दर्शन करके तुम लोग युद्धमें प्राण- विसर्जनके लिये दृढ़ निश्चयके साथ डट जाओ और शत्रुओंपर विजय प्राप्त करो। जिसकी कहीं भी प्रतिष्ठा नहीं है, उस नरकके अधीन न होओ

Transliteration

tān dṛṣṭvā rārīn vijayat bhūtvā saṃtyāgabuddhayaḥ | narakasyāpratiṣṭhasya mā bhūta vaśavartinaḥ ||

Translation

جنت اور دوزخ—دونوں جہانوں کو دیکھ لینے کے بعد تم لوگ جان نثار کرنے کے پختہ عزم کے ساتھ میدانِ جنگ میں ثابت قدم رہو اور دشمنوں پر فتح پاؤ۔ جس دوزخ کی کہیں بھی کوئی بنیاد یا پناہ نہیں، اس کے تابع نہ بنو۔

Word by Word

तान्those (worlds/realms)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

अरीन्enemies

विजयतconquer (you all)! / be victorious!

भूत्वाhaving become

सन्त्यागबुद्धयःthose whose resolve is firm renunciation (i.e., determined to give up life)

नरकस्यof hell

अप्रतिष्ठस्यof the unestablished/without support (one)

माdo not

भूतbe (you all)! (in prohibitive: do not be)

वशवर्तिनःsubservient/under the control (of)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

svarga (heaven)

naraka (hell)

ari (enemies)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma urges steadfast performance of one’s duty without fear of death: having reflected on the consequences symbolized by heaven and hell, one should act with courageous resolve and not fall under degrading, destabilizing impulses that lead to ‘hell’—a state without true support or honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs and exhorts the listeners (kṣatriya context) to stand firm in battle, accept the possibility of sacrificing life, and strive for victory over enemies, while warning them not to become subservient to the path that leads to hell.