Shloka 12
Devanagari script
आदिमध्यावसानानां ज्ञातारश्छिन्नसंशया: । परावरविशेषज्ञा गन्तार: परमां गतिम्,ब्राह्मण आदि, मध्य और अन्तके ज्ञाता, संशयरहित, भूत-भविष्यका विशेष ज्ञान रखनेवाले तथा परम गतिको जानने और पानेवाले हैं
Transliteration
ādimadhyāvasānānāṁ jñātāraś chinnasaṁśayāḥ | parāvaraviśeṣajñā gantāraḥ paramāṁ gatim ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“婆罗门知诸事之始、中、终；其疑网已断。他们能辨别高下之别——至上与世间之别；并且知晓——且能证得——最高之归宿。”
Word by Word
आदि-मध्य-अवसानानाम्of beginnings, middles, and ends
आदि-मध्य-अवसानानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआदि + मध्य + अवसान
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
ज्ञातारःknowers
ज्ञातारः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootज्ञातृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
छिन्न-संशयाःwith doubts cut off; free from doubt
छिन्न-संशयाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootछिन्न + संशय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पर-अवर-विशेष-ज्ञाःknowing distinctions of higher and lower (past and future / superior and inferior)
पर-अवर-विशेष-ज्ञाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपर + अवर + विशेष + ज्ञ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
गन्तारःgoers; attainors
गन्तारः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगन्तृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
परमाम्supreme
परमाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपरम
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
गतिम्goal; state; course; destination
गतिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaB
Brahmanas (brāhmaṇāḥ, implied)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
True spiritual authority is defined by complete understanding (origin–process–end), freedom from doubt, and discriminative insight into the higher and lower; such persons both know and attain the supreme goal.
In Bhishma’s instruction within the Anushasana Parva, he characterizes the ideal Brahmana as a realized knower—one whose certainty and discernment qualify him to reach the highest state.