Shloka 33

अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अक्रोधना धर्मपरा: सत्यनित्या दमे रता: | तादृशा: साधवो वित्रास्तेभ्यो दत्त महाफलम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca akrodhanā dharmaparāḥ satyanityā dame ratāḥ | tādṛśāḥ sādhavo viprās tebhyo dattaṃ mahāphalam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“大王啊，不为嗔怒所动，专志于法（dharma），恒守真实，勤于自制者——如此的婆罗门方为真贤。施与他们，福果广大（故在 śrāddha 等仪式中，应以他们为受食之正当对象）。”

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), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अक्रोधनाः: free from anger
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्रोधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धर्मपराः: devoted to dharma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सत्यनित्याः: ever truthful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यनित्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दमे: in self-control (sense-restraint)
• दमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• रताः: engaged/delighting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तादृशाः: such (of that kind)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• साधवः: good men/virtuous persons
• साधवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वित्रास्तेभ्यः: to the frightened/terrified (ones)
• वित्रास्तेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वित्रस्त
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• दत्त: given (a gift/that which is given)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• महाफलम्: great fruit/result
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाफल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Brahmins (viprāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Charity bears the greatest merit when directed to recipients of proven character—those who are angerless, dharma-centered, truthful, and disciplined. The verse links the fruit of giving to the ethical quality of the receiver.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction to the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) in Anuśāsana Parva, he specifies the marks of truly virtuous Brahmins and states that gifts—especially in contexts like śrāddha—should be offered to such persons for maximal spiritual benefit.