Shloka 17

Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma

Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच श्र॒त्वा श्येनस्य तद्‌ वाक्‍्यं राजर्षिविस्मयं गत: । सम्भाव्य चैनं तद्वाक्यं तदर्थी प्रत्यमभाषत

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca śrutvā śyenasy tad vākyam rājarṣi-vismayaṁ gataḥ | sambhāvya cainaṁ tad-vākyaṁ tad-arthī pratyamabhāṣata ||

Translation

Bhishma nói: Nghe những lời của diều hâu, vị vương hiền triết bỗng kinh ngạc sâu xa. Tán thưởng và kính trọng lời ấy, và một lòng muốn bảo toàn điều được cầu xin—sự che chở cho chim bồ câu—ngài liền đáp lại cho phải lẽ, mở ra một cách giải quyết theo dharma, nơi lòng bi mẫn và công lý phải được cân bằng.

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• श्येनस्य: of the hawk
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• राजर्षि-विस्मयम्: astonishment of the royal sage
• राजर्षि-विस्मयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षिविस्मय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गतः: having gone to / having attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Past Active Participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सम्भाव्य: having praised/approved; having shown respect
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+भू
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

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

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्-वाक्यम्: that statement
• तत्-वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्-अर्थी: seeking that (object/purpose); intent on that
• तत्-अर्थी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तदर्थिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यभाषत: replied/answered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+भाष्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Shyena (hawk)
• Rajarshi (king-sage, i.e., Uśīnara in this episode)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler committed to dharma must respond thoughtfully even to an opponent’s reasonable claim: he should acknowledge valid arguments, yet remain steadfast in protecting the vulnerable, seeking a just solution rather than acting from impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

The hawk presents its claim; the king-sage, amazed by the hawk’s reasoning, praises it and then replies with the intention of safeguarding the dove—moving the dialogue toward a test of royal righteousness and ethical balance.