Shloka 5

धर्म्यविजय-नियमाः

Rules for Dharmic Victory in Kṣatriya Engagement

Devanagari script

अशस्त्रं क्षत्रियं मत्वा शस्त्र गृह्लाद्‌ यथापर: । त्राणायाप्यसमर्थ त॑ं मन्यमानमतीव च

Transliteration

aśastraṃ kṣatriyaṃ matvā śastraṃ gṛhṇīyād yathāparaḥ | trāṇāyāpy asamarthaṃ taṃ manyamānam atīva ca ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا: اگر اس دیس کا کشتریہ بے ہتھیار ہو اور اپنی حفاظت کرنے میں بھی خود کو بالکل ناتواں سمجھے، تو ملک کی حفاظت کے لیے وہاں کا غیر کشتریہ بھی ہتھیار اٹھا سکتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अशस्त्रम्: unarmed
• अशस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शस्त्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• क्षत्रियम्: a kshatriya
• क्षत्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मत्वा: having considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (मन्यते)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage as gerund), Non-finite

• शस्त्रम्: a weapon
• शस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गृह्णात्: may/should take
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: लोट् (imperative/optative sense depending on context), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अपरः: another (person), a non-kshatriya
• अपरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्राणाय: for protection
• त्राणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्राण
• Form: Neuter, Dative, Singular

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• असमर्थम्: incapable
• असमर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-समर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्यमानम्: thinking, considering (himself)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (मन्यते)
• Form: शानच् (present active participle, Ātmanepada usage), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अतीव: excessively, very
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव

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

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• kshatriya
• śastra (weapons)
• the country/land (deśa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Protection of society is paramount: when the designated protector (the kshatriya) is unarmed and truly unable to defend, the responsibility may shift in an emergency, allowing even those outside the warrior role to take up arms for defense.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he outlines an emergency principle: if the local kshatriya cannot protect the realm, others may legitimately assume the defensive function to safeguard the country and its people.