Shloka 149
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
Devanagari script
आत्मनश्वपलो नास्ति कुतो<न्येषां भविष्यति
Transliteration
ātmanaś capalo nāsti kuto 'nyeṣāṁ bhaviṣyati
Translation
بھیشم نے کہا—“جب اپنا ہی دل بےثبات نہیں، تو دوسروں میں بےثباتی کہاں سے پیدا ہوگی؟”
Word by Word
आत्मनःof oneself
आत्मनः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
अपलःsteadfast; not fickle
अपलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअपल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अस्तिis/exists
अस्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormPresent, Third, Singular
कुतःwhence/how (then)
कुतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुतः
अन्येषाम्of others
अन्येषाम्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
भविष्यतिwill be
भविष्यति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormSimple Future, Third, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaĀ
ātman (self)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
The verse teaches that moral stability begins with one’s own mind: if one is steady and not wavering within, one will not project instability onto others, and one’s dealings with others will be grounded in self-mastery.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct. Here he emphasizes inner steadiness (non-fickleness) as a foundation for ethical judgment and social harmony.