Shloka 17

Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu

Gṛhastha-Vrata

Devanagari script

यज्वा च दान्तो मेधावी ब्रह्माण्य: सत्यसड्र: | न चावमन्ता दाता च वेदवेदाड़्रपारग:

Transliteration

yajvā ca dānto medhāvī brahmaṇyaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ | na cāvamantā dātā ca vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Người ấy là bậc hành lễ tế tự, tự chế và thông tuệ; kính trọng Bà-la-môn và kiên định nơi chân thật. Người không hề sỉ nhục ai, rộng lòng bố thí, và tinh thông trọn vẹn các Veda cùng những bộ môn phụ trợ của Veda.”

Word by Word

• यज्वा: sacrificer; performer of yajña
• यज्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• दान्तः: self-controlled; restrained
• दान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मेधावी: intelligent; wise
• मेधावी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेधाविन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रह्मण्यः: devoted to Brahmins; pious
• ब्रह्मण्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यसङ्गरः: one whose resolve is for truth; true to his vow
• सत्यसङ्गरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसङ्गर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• अवमन्ता: one who insults; despiser
• अवमन्ता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवमन्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दाता: giver; donor
• दाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas; one who has mastered them
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदवेदाङ्गपारग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical ideal: true excellence combines ritual responsibility (yajña), inner discipline (dama), intelligence (medhā), reverence for sacred learning and Brahmins (brahmaṇya), unwavering truthfulness (satya), humility (non-contempt), generosity (dāna), and mastery of scriptural knowledge (Veda and Vedāṅgas).

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is describing a person’s commendable qualities in the context of instruction on dharma, listing virtues that mark a worthy and cultured leader or noble individual—especially generosity, restraint, and Vedic competence.