Shloka 12

Pātra-Lakṣaṇa and Niścita-Dharma

Marks of a Worthy Recipient and Stable Criteria of Dharma

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्या: स विप्र: प्राउजलि: स्थित: । अनुज्ञातस्तया चापि स्वगृहं पुनरात्रजत्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca śrutvā tu vacanaṃ tasyāḥ sa vipraḥ prāñjaliḥ sthitaḥ | anujñātas tayā cāpi svagṛhaṃ punar ājagāma ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Nghe lời nàng, vị Bà-la-môn ấy đứng trước mặt nàng, chắp tay cung kính. Rồi, sau khi được nàng cho phép, ông lại trở về nhà mình—nêu rõ kỷ luật đạo hạnh của sự khiêm cung, tự chế và kính trọng quyền uy chính đáng.

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active (parasmaipada sense), Non-finite

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्याः: of her
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विप्रः: brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राञ्जलिः: with joined palms (in reverence)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थितः: stood
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनुज्ञातः: having been permitted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-ज्ञा
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

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

• स्वगृहम्: one's own house
• स्वगृहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वगृह
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुनः: again/back
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अगच्छत्: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a brahmin (vipra)
• a woman (tasyāḥ)
• the brahmin's home (svagṛha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic conduct expressed through humility (prāñjali), attentive listening, and acting only after receiving proper permission (anujñā). Respectful behavior toward a rightful speaker/authority is presented as an ethical norm.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the woman’s statement, the brahmin stands respectfully with folded hands before her. Once she grants him leave, he departs and returns to his own home.