Shloka 8

Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya

Devanagari script

नहि प्राणात्‌ प्रियतरं लोके किंचन विद्यते । तस्माद्‌ दयां नर: कुर्याद्‌ यथा55त्मनि तथा परे

Transliteration

na hi prāṇāt priyataraṃ loke kiṃcana vidyate | tasmād dayāṃ naraḥ kuryād yathātmāni tathā pare ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“在这世间，没有任何事物比自己的生命气息更为珍贵。因此，人应当修习慈悲——以自己所希求的怜悯与体恤，同样施与他人。”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• प्राणात्: than (one's) life/breath
• प्राणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• प्रियतरम्: dearer (more beloved)
• प्रियतरम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रियतर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• किंचन: anything (at all)
• किंचन: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किंचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तस्मात् (तद्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• दयाम्: compassion
• दयाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुर्यात्: should do/practice
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Optative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• यथा: as/in the manner that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• आत्मनि: in oneself/towards oneself
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तथा: so/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• परे: in another/in others
• परे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• prāṇa (life-breath)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Since life is the dearest possession for every being, one should extend compassion to others by applying the same standard one applies to oneself—an ethical rule of empathy and non-harm grounded in the value of life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he emphasizes dayā (compassion) as a practical moral duty, arguing from a universal human attachment to life.