Shloka 13

Śīla-prāpti and Śīla-lakṣaṇa (शीलप्राप्ति-शीललक्षणम्) | On the Acquisition and Marks of Character

Devanagari script

यः पाप॑ कुरुते राजा काममोहबलात्कृतः । प्रत्यासन्नस्य तस्यर्षे कि स्थात्‌ पापप्रणाशनम्‌

Transliteration

yaḥ pāpaṃ karute rājā kāma-moha-balāt kṛtaḥ | pratyāsannasya tasyarṣe kiṃ syāt pāpa-praṇāśanam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“噢，圣仙啊，若一位国王被欲望与迷妄之力所压倒而造下罪业，但随后心中生起悔恨，那么以何种赎罪之法（prāyaścitta）方能灭除其罪？”

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पापम्: sin, evil deed
• पापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुरुते: does, commits
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Present, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• काम: desire, lust
• काम: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मोह: delusion
• मोह: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• बलात्: by force, under compulsion
• बलात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• कृतः: done, having been done / having done
• Type: Participle
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यासन्नस्य: of one who has approached/come near (i.e., has turned back/repented)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यासन्न
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तस्य: of him, his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ऋषे: O sage
• ऋषे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• किम्: what?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• स्थात्: would be / should be
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

• पाप: of sin
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (in compound), Singular

• प्रणाशनम्: removal, destruction
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाशन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Raja (king)
• Rishi (sage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when wrongdoing is driven by desire and delusion, the text frames moral recovery through prāyaścitta (expiation) grounded in remorse and a return to dharma, emphasizing accountability in kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Bhīṣma raises a question to a sage about what expiatory measure can remove a king’s sin when the king later becomes repentant.