Shloka 14

Durgātitaraṇa—Conduct for Crossing Difficulties (दुर्गातितरणम्)

Devanagari script

ये तपश्च तपस्यन्ति कौमारब्रह्मचारिण: । विद्यावेदव्रतस्नाता दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते

Transliteration

ye tapaś ca tapasyanti kaumāra-brahmacāriṇaḥ | vidyā-veda-vrata-snātā durgāṇy atitaranti te ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：凡真正修苦行者——自童年起坚守梵行（brahmacarya），并完成学业与吠陀研习之戒律，成为受圣誓之毕业者（snātaka）——此等之人，能越过本难以逾越的艰辛苦厄。

Word by Word

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• तपस्यन्ति: practice austerity
• Type: Verb
• Root: तपस् (धातु: तप्)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कौमार-ब्रह्मचारिणः: brahmacārins from boyhood (juvenile celibate students)
• कौमार-ब्रह्मचारिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (विशेषण: कौमार)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विद्या-वेद-व्रत-स्नाताः: having completed the vows of learning and Vedic study; graduated (snātaka)
• विद्या-वेद-व्रत-स्नाताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (कृदन्त; धातु: स्ना) + विद्या/वेद/व्रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दुर्गाणि: difficult (things/straits), hardships
• दुर्गाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अतितरन्ति: cross over, surmount
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-तॄ (धातु: तॄ)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A life of disciplined austerity—especially brahmacarya maintained from youth, together with completed learning and Vedic observances—builds inner strength that enables a person to overcome even severe hardships.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is teaching Yudhishthira by praising the power of tapas, student-discipline, and fulfilled Vedic study, presenting them as means to cross otherwise difficult sufferings.