Shloka 12

The Thirteen Inner Adversaries (Trayodaśa Doṣāḥ): Origins and Pacification

Devanagari script

बलाधिकोऊ३* हं त्वत्तश्न न भी: कार्या मया तव । ये तु बुद्धया हि बलिनस्ते भवन्ति बलीयस:

Transliteration

balādhiko ’haṁ tvattaḥ; na bhīḥ kāryā mayā tava | ye tu buddhyā hi balinas te bhavanti balīyasaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我在形体之力上胜过你，因此你不必畏惧我。真正凭智慧与辨识而强大的人，将愈发强盛。”

Word by Word

• बलाधिकः: stronger (having greater strength)
• बलाधिकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलाधिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• त्वत्तः: than you / from you
• त्वत्तः: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Ablative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भीः: fear
• भीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्या: to be done / to be made (i.e., should be entertained)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• तव: of you / for you
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but / however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• बुद्ध्या: by intellect / by understanding
• बुद्ध्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• बलिनः: strong (men)
• बलिनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भवन्ति: become / are
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• बलीयसः: stronger
• बलीयसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलीयस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Physical power is not the highest form of strength; true superiority lies in buddhi—discernment, strategy, and ethical intelligence—which makes one ‘stronger than the strong.’

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma reassures the listener that there is no need to fear him despite his greater physical strength, and he uses the moment to emphasize a moral lesson: intelligence and sound judgment confer a higher, more enduring power than mere force.