Shloka 3

Ānṛśaṃsya, Amātya-Guṇa, and Reconciliatory Counsel (आनृशंस्य–अमात्यगुण–संधि-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

आनृशंस्येन धर्मेण लोके हास्मिन्‌ जिजीविषु: । नाहमेतदल कर्तु नैतत्‌ त्वय्युपपद्यते

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

ānṛśaṁsyena dharmeṇa loke hāsmin jijīviṣuḥ |

na aham etad alaṁ kartuṁ na etat tvayy upapadyate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我愿在此世依凭慈悲与不害之法（dharma）而生，断不可能行那般不义之事；而你也不相称提出那样的劝告。”

Word by Word

• आनृशंस्येन: by compassion/non-cruelty
• आनृशंस्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनृशंस्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• धर्मेण: by/through dharma
• धर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• जिजीविषुः: wishing to live
• जिजीविषुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिजीविषु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अलम्: able/sufficient (with infinitive: able to)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम्

• कर्तुम्: to do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Infinitive

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एतत्: this (act/thing)
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• त्वयि: in you/for you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Locative, Singular

• उपपद्यते: is fitting/becomes appropriate
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√पद्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Compassion (ānṛśaṁsya) is presented as a defining form of dharma: one should not adopt or recommend conduct that violates non-cruelty and moral propriety, even if it seems expedient.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma rejects a suggested course of action as adharma, stating that he intends to live by compassionate righteousness and that such advice is unfitting for the person addressing him.