Shloka 19

Durgātitaraṇa—Conduct for Crossing Difficulties (दुर्गातितरणम्)

Devanagari script

ये न मानित्वमिच्छन्ति मानयन्ति च ये परान्‌ । मान्यमानान्‌ नमस्यन्ति दुर्गाण्यतितरन्ति ते

Transliteration

ye na mānitvam icchanti mānayanti ca ye parān | mānyamānān namasyanti durgāṇy atitaranti te ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：不贪求他人敬奉，反而敬重他人，并向应受尊敬者致礼的人——这样的人，连艰难险恶的处境也能渡过。

Word by Word

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

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

• मानित्वम्: honour/respect (for oneself), being honoured
• मानित्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानित्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छन्ति: desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मानयन्ति: honour, respect
• Type: Verb
• Root: मानय् (मान् + णिच्)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

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

• परान्: others
• परान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मान्यमानान्: those who are being honoured / the honoured
• मान्यमानान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective/Participle
• Root: मान्यमान (√मान्, passive present participle)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, Passive, Present (participle)

• नमस्यन्ति: bow to, salute
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् + य (नमस्य्)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• दुर्गाणि: difficulties, hardships
• दुर्गाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अतितरन्ति: cross over, overcome
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति + तॄ
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Humility and reverence are protective virtues: not seeking personal honor, honoring others, and bowing to the truly worthy enables one to overcome severe difficulties (durgāṇi).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira that social and moral resilience comes from humility—respecting others and showing deference to the respectable—by which one ‘crosses’ dangers and hard situations.