Shloka 4

Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच शृणुष्व राजन यद्‌ वृत्तं ब्रह्मदत्तनिवेशने । पूजन्या सह संवादं ब्रह्मुदत्तस्य भूपते:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca śṛṇuṣva rājan yad vṛttaṃ brahmadattaniveśane | pūjanyā saha saṃvādaṃ brahmadattasya bhūpate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王，请听在梵摩达多的居所里发生的往事。我将叙述，统御者啊，梵摩达多与一位可敬的妇人所进行的对话。”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शृणुष्व: listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्: which/what
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• वृत्तम्: the event, what happened
• वृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्मदत्त-निवेशने: in the dwelling/settlement of Brahmadatta
• ब्रह्मदत्त-निवेशने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेशन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पूजन्या: with the venerable lady (worthy of worship)
• पूजन्या: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजनीय
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• संवादम्: conversation, dialogue
• संवादम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवाद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्रह्मदत्तस्य: of Brahmadatta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मदत्त
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भूपते: O lord of the earth (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira (implied by address 'rājan/bhūpate')
• Brahmadatta
• Pūjanyā (a venerable lady)
• Brahmadatta-niveśana (Brahmadatta's residence)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames dharma-instruction through attentive listening and respectful dialogue: a king is urged to learn from an exemplary conversation, implying that ethical governance is strengthened by honoring worthy counsel and reflecting on instructive narratives.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma begins introducing an illustrative episode: he asks the king to hear what occurred at Brahmadatta’s residence and announces that he will recount Brahmadatta’s dialogue with a revered woman, setting up a didactic story within the Shanti Parva discourse.