Shloka 93

Bṛhaspati’s Counsel on Contentment

Santoṣa), Restraint, and Adroha (Non-injury

Devanagari script

हत्वा छित्त्वा च भित्त्वा च केचिदेकान्तशीलिन: । कोई सब छोड़कर चुपचाप भगवानके ध्यानमें लगे रहते हैं और कुछ लोग मार-काट मचाकर शत्रुओंकी सेनाको विदीर्ण करके राज्य पानेके अनन्तर प्रजापालनरूपी धर्मकी प्रशंसा करते हैं तथा दूसरे लोग एकान्तमें रहकर आत्मचिन्तन करना अच्छा समझते हैं

Transliteration

hatvā chittvā ca bhittvā ca kecid ekāntaśīlinaḥ |

Translation

既已杀戮，既已斩断，既已摧裂（敌军），有些人——性情趋向独处者——仍选择退隐之途。另一些人，在大肆屠戮、撕裂敌军以夺取王国之后，便称颂护持臣民之法（dharma）为至高之责；而又有人以为，最善者莫过于离群独居，向内观照自我之真我（Ātman）。

Word by Word

हत्वाhaving killed

छित्त्वाhaving cut

चand

भित्त्वाhaving split / having pierced

चand

केचित्some (people)

एकान्तशीलिनःsolitary by nature; devoted to seclusion

Speaker

देवस्थान उवाच

Characters & Entities

devasthāna (speaker)

śatru-senā (enemy army, implied by the context of slaughter and rending)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse juxtaposes divergent life-paths—violent conquest followed by the duties of kingship, versus withdrawal into solitude and inner contemplation—suggesting that people praise and pursue different forms of dharma according to temperament and chosen aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Devsthāna describes how some seek power through war and then justify themselves by praising the dharma of ruling and protecting the people, while others turn away from public life and prefer solitary devotion or self-reflection.