Shloka 6

शूरलक्षणवर्णनम् | Marks and Typologies of Martial Temperament

Devanagari script

सर्वत्र शूरा जायन्ते महासत्त्वा महाबला: | प्राय एव समुद्दिष्टा लक्षणानि तु मे शृणु

Transliteration

sarvatra śūrā jāyante mahāsattvā mahābalāḥ | prāya eva samuddiṣṭā lakṣaṇāni tu me śṛṇu ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“四方诸土，皆有英雄诞生——具大精神、大力气之人。其大略之相，我已先举；今当听我细说其分别之征。”

Word by Word

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• शूराः: heroes, brave men
• शूराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जायन्ते: are born, arise
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (जायते)
• Form: Present tense (Lat), 3rd person, Plural, Ātmanepada

• महासत्त्वाः: of great courage/strength of character
• महासत्त्वाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महासत्त्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाबलाः: very strong, mighty
• महाबलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रायः: generally, for the most part
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायस्/प्रायः
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable particle)

• समुद्दिष्टानि: have been indicated/mentioned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्दिष्ट (सम्-उद्-√दिश्)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural (past passive participle)

• लक्षणानि: characteristics, marks
• लक्षणानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable particle)

• मे: of me, my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• शृणु: hear, listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True heroism is not confined to a single region or lineage; noble and powerful persons arise everywhere. Therefore, one should judge greatness by recognizable qualities (lakṣaṇas) rather than by mere origin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma continues his instruction in Śānti Parva, transitioning from general remarks about the existence of heroic, high-souled people everywhere to a more specific enumeration of the signs by which such persons can be identified.