Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स्वार्थे सर्वे विमुहान्ति येडपि धर्मविदो जना: । तस्माद्‌ राजन ब्रवीम्येष वाक्‍्यं ते यदि रोचते

Transliteration

svārthe sarve vimuhyanti ye 'pi dharmavido janāḥ | tasmād rājan bravīmy eṣa vākyaṃ te yadi rocate ||

Translation

جب ذاتی مفاد کا معاملہ آتا ہے تو دھرم کے جاننے والے لوگ بھی فریبِ نفس میں پڑ جاتے ہیں۔ اس لیے، اے راجن، اگر تمہیں پسند ہو تو میں یہ نصیحت تم سے کہتا ہوں۔

Word by Word

स्वार्थेin (one's) own interest

सर्वेall

विमुह्यन्तिbecome deluded

येwho

अपिeven

धर्मविदःknowers of dharma

जनाःpeople

तस्मात्therefore / from that

राजन्O king

ब्रवीमिI say

एतत्this

वाक्यम्statement / words

तेto you

यदिif

रोचतेpleases (you)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

King (rājan)

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?

Personal interest can cloud discernment so strongly that even those who understand dharma may act or judge wrongly; hence one should seek counsel grounded in principle rather than advantage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a king and prefaces his advice by noting how self-interest leads to confusion; he then offers counsel, inviting the king’s willingness to accept it.