Shloka 9

Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)

Devanagari script

दुराचारस्तु दुर्बुद्धिरिड्वितैलक्षितो मया । निष्कृपो दारुणाकारो दुष्टो दस्युरिवाधम:

Transliteration

durācārastu durbuddhir iḍvitailakṣito mayā | niṣkṛpo dāruṇākāro duṣṭo dasyur ivādhamaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：“从他的行止我便识得他：心智乖僻，行径败坏，毫无悲悯。连其形貌也粗厉可怖——卑鄙而凶恶，如同盗匪，乃人中最下者。”

Word by Word

• दुराचारः: evil conduct; wrongdoer
• दुराचारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुराचार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• दुर्बुद्धिः: evil-minded; of bad intellect
• दुर्बुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्बुद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इट्: (textual/uncertain particle; likely corrupt reading)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इट्

• वितैलक्षितः: noticed/recognized
• वितैलक्षितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लक्षित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

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

• निष्कृपः: merciless
• निष्कृपः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दारुणाकारः: of dreadful appearance
• दारुणाकारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारुणाकार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुष्टः: wicked
• दुष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• दस्युः: bandit; robber
• दस्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दस्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अधमः: base; lowest
• अधमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• dasyu (bandit/robber)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A person’s inner nature is reliably inferred from conduct and compassion: persistent immoral behavior, cruelty, and harshness signal adharma and a degraded character, warranting moral caution.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing someone he has observed and judged based on outward behavior and demeanor, concluding that the person is cruel, wicked, and socially dangerous—comparable to a lawless bandit.