Shloka 2

अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच स्ववृत्तिमभिपन्नाय लिज़्िने चेतराय च । देयमाहुर्महाराज उभावेतौ तपस्विनौ

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | svavṛttim abhipannāya liṅgine cetarāya ca | deyam āhur mahārāja ubhāv etau tapasvinau ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王，经典宣示：为保全性命而依其本分正当生计而活的婆罗门，无论具苦行外相与否，都应受施。因为二者皆安住于自身之法，皆可称为行苦行者，堪为布施之受者。”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्ववृत्तिम्: one's own (prescribed) livelihood/means of subsistence
• स्ववृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्ववृत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अभिपन्नाय: to one who has resorted to/undertaken
• अभिपन्नाय: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-√पद्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• लिङ्गिने: to one bearing a mark/sign (ascetic insignia)
• लिङ्गिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्गिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इतराय: to the other (one)
• इतराय: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• च: also/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• देयम्: is to be given / should be given
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (तव्य/यत् sense; here 'to be given')

• आहुः: they say
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तपस्विनौ: ascetics / men of austerity
• तपस्विनौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Mahārāja (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Brāhmaṇa
• liṅgin (marked ascetic)
• aliṅgin/itarā (unmarked ascetic/householder in dharmic livelihood)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity should be guided by dharma rather than mere outward appearance: a Brahmin who sustains himself through a rightful, dharmic livelihood for preserving life is a fit recipient of alms whether he displays ascetic insignia (liṅga) or not.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dāna-dharma, Bhishma advises the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) about who deserves gifts, affirming that both marked ascetics and those without external marks—if grounded in proper duty—are worthy recipients.