Shloka 19

Kośa-saṃjanana and Subtle Dharma

Treasury Formation and Fine-Grained Ethics

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ सशेषं कर्तव्यं स्वाधीनमपि दस्युभि: । न बलस्थो5हमस्मीति नृशंसानि समाचरेत्‌

Transliteration

tasmāt saśeṣaṁ kartavyaṁ svādhīnam api dasyubhiḥ | na balastho 'ham asmīti nṛśaṁsāni samācaret ||

Translation

是故，即便盗贼，纵已将他人财物据为己有，亦当留有余剩，不可尽掠。莫有人自恃“我凭强力、我甚有势”，而行残酷之事。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: ablative singular (masc/neut)

• सशेषम्: leaving a remainder; not wholly
• सशेषम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शेष
• Form: accusative singular (neuter), used adverbially

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be done/should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: gerundive (future passive participle), nominative singular (neuter)

• स्वाधीनम्: under one’s control; in one’s possession
• स्वाधीनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाधीन
• Form: accusative singular (neuter), used adjectivally/adverbially

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: particle

• दस्युभिः: by robbers/outlaws
• दस्युभिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु
• Form: instrumental plural (masculine)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: negation

• बलस्थः: standing on strength; powerful
• बलस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलस्थ
• Form: nominative singular (masculine)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: nominative singular

• अस्मि: am
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: present indicative, 1st person singular, parasmaipada

• इति: thus/‘thinking’
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति
• Form: quotative particle

• नृशंसानि: cruel (acts)
• नृशंसानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृशंस
• Form: accusative plural (neuter)

• समाचरेत्: should practice/should do
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर्
• Form: optative (vidhiling), 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• dasyu (robbers/bandits)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Restraint is a baseline moral requirement: even those who seize wealth should not take everything, and no one should justify cruelty by claiming strength or power.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and conduct, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on ethical behavior, using the example of robbers to stress that power must not become a pretext for ruthless action.