Shloka 7

Devanagari script

अपि चोदाहरन्तीमं धर्मशास्त्रविदो जना: । अश्वानां श्यामकर्णानां सहस्रेण स मुच्यते

Transliteration

api codāharantīmaṁ dharmaśāstravido janāḥ | aśvānāṁ śyāmakarṇānāṁ sahasreṇa sa mucyate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：此外，通晓法论之人还援引此例：犯下破坏庄严誓愿之罪者，若布施一千匹黑耳之马，便可从此过失中解脱。此教诲昭示：伦理的破裂会形成道德之债，而依教所行的慷慨与补偿，被视为能净化并恢复其在法（dharma）中的立足之地。

Word by Word

• अपि: also, moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

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

• उदाहरन्ति: they cite, they adduce (as an example)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-हृ
• Form: Lat (present indicative), 3, plural, Parasmaipada

• इमम्: this (one/this statement)
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• धर्मशास्त्रविदः: knowers of dharma-śāstra
• धर्मशास्त्रविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मशास्त्रविद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• अश्वानाम्: of horses
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• श्यामकर्णानाम्: of black-eared (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्यामकर्ण
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• सहस्रेण: by/with a thousand
• सहस्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मुच्यते: is released, is freed
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: Lat (present indicative), 3, singular, passive (ātmanepada-form)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Dharmaśāstra experts (dharmaśāstravidaḥ janāḥ)
• Horses (aśvāḥ)
• Dark-eared horses (śyāmakarṇāḥ)
• A thousand (sahasra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Breaking a vow is treated as a serious ethical fault, but Dharmaśāstra recognizes structured atonement: a prescribed act of dāna (here, gifting a thousand dark-eared horses) is presented as a means to remove the moral taint and restore dharmic standing.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he supports his counsel by citing what Dharmaśāstra authorities say—offering a specific, traditional expiation for vow-breaking, framed as an authoritative example.