Shloka 29
Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies
Gaṇa-nīti
Devanagari script
अकस्मात् क्रोधमोहाभ्यां लोभाद् वापि स्वभावजात्
Transliteration
akasmāt krodhamohābhyāṁ lobhād vāpi svabhāvajāt
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“有时毫无征兆——或为嗔怒与迷妄所驱，或为出自本性积习的贪欲所牵——人便被冲动的恶行攫住。”
Word by Word
अकस्मात्suddenly, unexpectedly
अकस्मात्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअकस्मात्
क्रोधfrom anger
क्रोध:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootक्रोध
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
मोहाभ्याम्by/with delusion (and another cause in dual form)
मोहाभ्याम्:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootमोह
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Dual
लोभात्from greed
लोभात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootलोभ
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
अपिalso, even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
स्वभावजात्arising from one's own nature
स्वभावजात्:
Apadana
TypeAdjective
Rootस्वभावजात
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights that ethical failure can arise abruptly from inner afflictions—anger, delusion, and greed—especially when these are rooted in one’s habitual nature; therefore vigilance and self-mastery are essential to dharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhīṣma is explaining to Yudhiṣṭhira how people can be suddenly propelled into harmful actions by powerful mental states and ingrained tendencies.