Shloka 16

Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa

Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results

Devanagari script

हन्यादवध्यान्‌ वरदानपि चैव तपस्विन: । संकल्पाभिरुचि: काम: सनातनतमो5भवत्‌

Transliteration

han yād avadhyān varadān api caiva tapasvinaḥ | saṅkalpābhiruciḥ kāmaḥ sanātanatamo 'bhavat ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Ngay cả những bậc được xem là “bất khả xâm phạm” — các khổ hạnh giả đã thọ ân huệ (vara) và có năng lực ban phúc — cũng có thể bị khuất phục bởi dục vọng (kāma). Dục vọng ấy còn được gọi là “saṅkalpa” (ý chí, quyết tâm) và “abhiruci” (khuynh hướng, sở thích); nó là sức mạnh cổ xưa và bền bỉ nhất, ẩn sâu trong tâm, có thể lấn át cả người đã thành tựu tâm linh. Vì vậy, trong con đường dharma, phải hiểu rõ và chế ngự nó.

Word by Word

• हन्यात्: should/can kill
• हन्यात्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Present (injunctive/optative sense), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अवध्यान्: those who are not to be slain / inviolable
• अवध्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वरदान्: boon-giving
• वरदान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

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

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तपस्विनः: of the ascetic
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• संकल्पाभिरुचिः: resolve and inclination (as a named form/epithet)
• संकल्पाभिरुचिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्पाभिरुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कामः: desire
• कामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सनातनतमः: most eternal / most ancient
• सनातनतमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातनतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Lan, Imperfect (past), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• tapasvin (ascetics)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Desire (kāma) is portrayed as an extremely ancient and persistent force, operating through intention (saṅkalpa) and inclination (abhiruci). Because it can overwhelm even ascetics thought to be protected by boons and spiritual power, ethical life requires vigilant self-governance of desire.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, in his instruction, emphasizes the formidable power of kāma by stating that it can ‘slay’ even those considered inviolable—boon-giving ascetics. The point is didactic: to warn that inner impulses can defeat external protections and spiritual attainments if not restrained.