Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

यथा पाण्डो: सुता राज॑स्तथैव तव धर्मत: । तान्‌ पालय स्थितो धर्मे गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतान्‌

Transliteration

yathā pāṇḍoḥ sutā rājas tathaiva tava dharmataḥ | tān pālaya sthito dharme guruśuśrūṣaṇe ratān |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，他们既是般度之子，依达摩之准则，也同样是你的儿子。他们恒常敬事长者与师长，理当受你庇护。因此你当安住于正法，像抚养亲生儿子一般护养他们。”

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पाण्डोः: of Pāṇḍu
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तथा: so, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• तव: of you, your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• धर्मतः: according to dharma / by right
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पालय: protect, maintain
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्थितः: standing, abiding
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गुरु-शुश्रूषणे: in service to elders/teachers
• गुरु-शुश्रूषणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरुशुश्रूषण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रतान्: devoted, engaged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Pāṇḍu
• Pāṇḍavāḥ (sons of Pāṇḍu)
• rājan (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that dharma expands kinship and responsibility: a righteous king should regard the Pāṇḍavas as his own in moral duty and protect them, especially since they are devoted to serving elders and teachers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a king with ethical counsel, urging him to uphold dharma by fostering and safeguarding the Pāṇḍavas as if they were his own sons, emphasizing their good conduct and devotion to elders.