Shloka 7

Devanagari script

स्प्रष्टमप्पसमर्थो हि ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्‌ । अधर्म: संततो धर्म कालेन परिरक्षितम्‌

Transliteration

spraṣṭum apy asamartho hi jvalantam iva pāvakam | adharmaḥ santato dharmaṃ kālena parirakṣitam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“非达摩甚至无力触及它——犹如妄图触碰熊熊烈火。达摩恒常安立，又为时间（迦罗，kāla）从四方护持；因此，不义之力不足以蔓延到能触及达摩，更遑论伤害达摩。”

Word by Word

• स्प्रष्टुम्: to touch
• स्प्रष्टुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश्
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive)

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• असमर्थः: incapable
• असमर्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असमर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अधर्मः: unrighteousness, adharma
• अधर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सन्ततः: continuous, ever-present
• सन्ततः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सन्तत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालेन: by Time
• कालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• परिरक्षितम्: protected, safeguarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-रक्ष्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वल्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पावकम्: fire
• पावकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• kāla (Time)
• pāvaka (fire)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma, when firmly established, has an inherent radiance and protection; adharma lacks the power to overcome it. The verse emphasizes confidence in moral order: unrighteousness cannot ultimately prevail against righteousness safeguarded by kāla (Time).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he uses the simile of blazing fire to convey that adharma cannot even approach true dharma, because dharma is continuously upheld and protected by Time.