Shloka 11
अविश्वास-निति: ब्रह्मदत्त–पूजनी-संवादः
Policy of Caution: The Brahmadatta–Pūjanī Dialogue
Devanagari script
यथा हाकस्माद् भवति भूमौ पांसुर्विलोलित: । तथैवेह भवेद् धर्म: सूक्ष्म: सूक्ष्मतरस्तथा
Transliteration
yathā hākasmād bhavati bhūmau pāṁsur vilolitaḥ | tathaiveha bhaved dharmaḥ sūkṣmaḥ sūkṣmataras tathā ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“譬如地上尘土，忽而掬起，置于石上研磨，便愈磨愈细；同样，在此世间，达摩若经审察与反思，便知其微妙——且愈加微妙。”
Word by Word
यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
हिindeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
अकस्मात्suddenly, unexpectedly
अकस्मात्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअकस्मात्
भवतिbecomes, happens
भवति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormLat, Present indicative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
भूमौon the ground/earth
भूमौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
पांसुःdust
पांसुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपांसु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
विलोलितःstirred up, agitated
विलोलितः:
TypeAdjective
Rootविलोलित
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तथाso, in the same way
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
इहhere, in this matter
इह:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
भवेत्would be, becomes (on reflection)
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormVidhi-lin, Optative, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
धर्मःdharma, righteousness
धर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सूक्ष्मःsubtle
सूक्ष्मः:
TypeAdjective
Rootसूक्ष्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सूक्ष्मतरःmore subtle
सूक्ष्मतरः:
TypeAdjective
Rootसूक्ष्मतर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तथाand so, likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaE
earth (bhūmi)D
dust (pāṁsu)S
stone/grinding surface (implied by śilā)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Dharma is inherently subtle; as one analyzes situations more carefully, ethical judgment often becomes finer and more nuanced rather than straightforward.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma is teaching about dharma’s nature, using an everyday analogy (dust becoming finer when ground) to explain why moral decisions require careful reflection.