Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अनृशंस: शुचिर्दान्त: सत्यवागार्जवे स्थित: । योनिकर्मविशुद्धश्न पात्र स्याद्‌ वेदविद्‌ द्विज:,दयालु, पवित्र, जितेन्द्रिय, सत्यवादी, सरलतापूर्ण बर्ताव करनेवाला तथा योनिसे अर्थात्‌ जन्मसे और कर्मसे शुद्ध वेदवेत्ता ब्राह्मण ही दान पानेका उत्तम पात्र है

Transliteration

anṛśaṁsaḥ śucir dāntaḥ satyavāg ārjave sthitaḥ | yonikarmaviśuddhaś ca pātraṁ syād vedavid dvijaḥ ||

Translation

جو وید کا جاننے والا برہمن رحم دل اور بے ظلم ہو، کردار میں پاکیزہ، حواس پر قابو رکھنے والا، گفتار میں سچا، سادگی و راست روی میں قائم، اور نسب (پیدائش) اور عمل—دونوں اعتبار سے پاک ہو، وہی دان لینے کا بہترین مستحق ہے۔

Word by Word

अनृशंसःnon-cruel, compassionate

शुचिःpure, clean

दान्तःself-controlled, restrained

सत्यवाक्truth-speaking

आर्जवेin straightforwardness, in rectitude

स्थितःstanding/established (in)

योनिकर्मविशुद्धःpure in birth and conduct

पात्रःa fit recipient, worthy vessel

स्यात्should be / may be

वेदविद्knower of the Veda

द्विजःtwice-born (brahmin)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

dvija (Brāhmaṇa)

Veda

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?

The core teaching is that the right recipient of charity (pātra) is defined by moral character and disciplined conduct—compassion, purity, self-restraint, truthfulness, and straightforwardness—together with recognized purity of lineage and deeds, and Vedic learning.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma instruction, Bhīṣma is advising on norms of righteous giving (dāna), specifying the ethical qualifications that make a Veda-knowing Brahmin the most suitable recipient.