Shloka 37

कपोत-लुब्धकसंवादः — Hunter’s Remorse and Renunciatory Resolve

Devanagari script

या देवतासूु वृत्तिस्ते सास्तु विप्रेषु नित्यदा । क्रुद्धैर्हिं विप्रै: कर्माणि कृतानि बहुधा नूप

Transliteration

yā devatāsu vṛttis te sāstu vipreṣu nityadā | kruddhair hi vipraiḥ karmāṇi kṛtāni bahudhā nṛpa, nareśvara ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，你对诸天所持的敬奉之礼，也当时时同样施于婆罗门。因为婆罗门一旦怒火炽盛，曾行种种非凡之事；故而，王者当以恒常的尊敬与克制来对待他们。”

Word by Word

• {'yā': 'which, whatever', 'devatāsu': 'toward/among the deities (locative plural of devatā)', 'vṛttiḥ': 'conduct, behavior, manner of dealing', 'te': 'your', 'sā': 'that (same)', 'astu': 'let it be

• should be (imperative of √as)', 'vipreṣu': 'toward/among brāhmaṇas (locative plural of vipra)', 'nityadā': 'always, at all times', 'kruddhaiḥ': 'by those who are angry (instrumental plural of kruddha)', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'vipraiḥ': 'by brāhmaṇas (instrumental plural of vipra)', 'karmāṇi': 'deeds, acts (often implying potent/ritual or wondrous acts)', 'kṛtāni': 'done, performed', 'bahudhā': 'in many ways, of many kinds', 'nṛpa': 'O king', 'nareśvara': 'O lord of men (epithet of the king)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• nṛpa/nareśvara (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira as addressee)
• devatāḥ (deities)
• viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should extend to brāhmaṇas the same reverence and careful conduct shown toward the gods, because brāhmaṇas—especially when angered—are portrayed as capable of formidable, even extraordinary, consequences; thus steady respect and self-restraint are essential to dharma and good governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and kingship, Bhīṣma addresses the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), warning him to maintain constant respectful behavior toward brāhmaṇas, citing the traditional idea that angered brāhmaṇas have accomplished many astonishing deeds.