Shloka 90
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
Devanagari script
कस्येह न व्यथेद् बुद्धिर्मुत्योरपि जिघांसत: । साते न व्यथते बुद्धिरचला तत्त्वदर्शिनी
Transliteration
kasyeha na vyathed buddhir mṛtyor api jighāṃsataḥ | sā te na vyathate buddhir acalā tattvadarśinī ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“此间有谁的心智不会动摇——即便面对怀着杀意而来的死神？然而你的理解并不颤动：它坚定不移，根植于对真理的洞见。因此你安然无扰。”
Word by Word
कस्यof whom/whose
कस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootकिम्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
इहhere/in this world
इह:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
व्यथेत्would be distressed/tremble
व्यथेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootव्यथ्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
बुद्धिःmind/intellect
बुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
मृत्योःof death
मृत्योः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
अपिeven/also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
जिघांसतःof (one) desiring to kill
जिघांसतः:
TypeKridanta
Rootजिघांसत् (√हन्, desiderative)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
सात्वेin the steadfast/virtuous (one); in a sāttvika state
सात्वे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसात्व (सत्त्व)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
व्यथतेis distressed/trembles
व्यथते:
TypeVerb
Rootव्यथ्
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
बुद्धिःmind/intellect
बुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्धि
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
अचलाunshaken/steady
अचला:
TypeAdjective
Rootअचल
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तत्त्वदर्शिनीseeing the truth/knower of reality
तत्त्वदर्शिनी:
TypeAdjective
Rootतत्त्वदर्शिन्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaM
Mṛtyu (Death)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
True wisdom (tattva-darśana) produces steadiness of intellect: even the threat of death does not shake a mind grounded in reality and self-control.
Bhishma praises the listener’s composure, contrasting ordinary minds that would tremble even before death with a truth-seeing, unwavering intellect that remains undisturbed.