Shloka 24
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
Devanagari script
अनिश्चयो हि युद्धेषु द्वयोविंवदमानयो: । एक: प्राप्रोति विजयमेकश्नैव पराजयम्
Transliteration
aniścayo hi yuddheṣu dvayor vivadamānayoḥ | ekaḥ prāpnoti vijayam ekaś caiva parājayam ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：两方争斗而起的战事，其胜负从无定数。争端一旦燃成战争，必是一方得胜，另一方终遭败北。
Word by Word
अनिश्चयःuncertainty, no definite conclusion
अनिश्चयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअनिश्चय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed, for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
युद्धेषुin battles
युद्धेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुद्ध
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
द्वयोःof two
द्वयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual
विवदमानयोःof (two) disputing/contending (persons)
विवदमानयोः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootविवद्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual
एकःone (person/side)
एकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्राप्नोतिattains, obtains
प्राप्नोति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + आप्
FormPresent, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
विजयम्victory
विजयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविजय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
एकःone (person/side)
एकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
पराजयम्defeat
पराजयम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपराजय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
War between rivals has no guaranteed outcome; since victory and defeat are uncertain and costly, one should be cautious about escalating disputes into violence and should prefer restraint and wise counsel.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and statecraft; here he underscores a practical moral lesson: once conflict becomes war, certainty vanishes and one party will suffer defeat.