Shloka 26

Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)

Devanagari script

व्यवसायस्तयो: शीघ्रमुभयोरेव विद्यते । हन्युः क्रुद्धा महाराज ब्राह्मणा ये तपस्विन:

Transliteration

vyavasāyas tayoḥ śīghram ubhayor eva vidyate | hanyuḥ kruddhā mahārāja brāhmaṇā ye tapasvinaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Hỡi Đại vương, trong cả hai trường hợp, quả báo của sự gắng sức đều hiển lộ nhanh chóng. Nhưng hãy biết điều này: khi các Bà-la-môn khổ hạnh nổi giận, họ có thể dùng sức mạnh của tapas mà đánh gục cả một Kṣatriya hùng cường. Vì thế, quả nhanh của khổ hạnh và quả nhanh của uy dũng vương quyền tuy tương tự, nhưng lực tinh thần của khổ hạnh có kỷ luật—khi bị khiêu khích—có thể chế ngự ánh thép của chiến binh.”

Word by Word

• व्यवसायः: result/effect (manifestation)
• व्यवसायः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यवसाय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Common, Genitive, Dual

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

• उभयोः: of both
• उभयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: उभ
• Form: Common, Genitive, Dual

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विद्+य, आत्मनेपद; 'to be found/exist')
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• हन्युः: could slay/would slay
• हन्युः: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Optative (Potential), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• क्रुद्धाः: angered
• क्रुद्धाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (कृध्-क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ये: who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तपस्विनः: ascetics/possessed of austerity
• तपस्विनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Kṣatriya (implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Both martial prowess and ascetic austerity yield swift results, but tapas—when embodied by disciplined Brāhmaṇas—can surpass physical power; therefore rulers should honor spiritual authority and avoid provoking the righteous.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma instructs the king on the relative potency of Kṣatriya energy and Brāhmaṇa austerity, warning that enraged ascetics can destroy even powerful warriors through the force generated by their tapas.