Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 65
Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
Devanagari script
विरूपाश्वेन निमिना जनकेन च धीमता । ऐलेन पृथुना चैव वीरसेनेन चैव ह
Transliteration
virūpāśvena niminā janakena ca dhīmatā | ailena pṛthunā caiva vīrasenena caiva ha ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“此（法/教诲）曾由毗卢帕湿瓦、尼弥、睿智的阇那迦、阿伊拉（月族之后）、普利图，以及毗罗塞那等人奉持并示范。”
Word by Word
विरूपाश्वेनby Virūpāśva
विरूपाश्वेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootविरूपाश्व
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
निमिनाby Nimi
निमिना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootनिमि
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
जनकेनby Janaka
जनकेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootजनक
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
धीमताby the wise (one)
धीमता:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootधीमत्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
ऐलेनby Aila (descendant of Ilā)
ऐलेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootऐल
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
पृथुनाby Pṛthu
पृथुना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपृथु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/also
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
वीरसेनेनby Vīrasena
वीरसेनेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवीरसेन
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/also
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
हindeed (emphatic particle)
ह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootह
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VirūpāśvaN
NimiJ
JanakaA
AilaP
PṛthuV
VīrasenaB
BhīṣmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma reinforces dharma by citing authoritative exemplars—renowned kings and king-sages—implying that the teaching he is giving is not merely theoretical but validated by the conduct of celebrated rulers.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira and supports his point by listing past kings (Virūpāśva, Nimi, Janaka, Aila, Pṛthu, Vīrasena) as precedents who practiced or upheld the same principle.