Shloka 9

Devanagari script

न हि नो भ्रूणहा कश्चिज्जातापद्यनूृतोडपि वा | पूर्वाशी वा कुले हास्मिन्‌ देवतातिथिबन्धुषु

Transliteration

na hi no bhrūṇahā kaścid jātāpatyanṛto 'pi vā | pūrvāśī vā kule 'smin devatātithibandhuṣu ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“在我族中，从未有人犯下杀胎之罪；也从未有人遭遇子嗣生而即亡之不祥；从未有人沉溺虚言；更从未有人在先供奉诸神、款待宾客并分与亲族之前，便先行进食。”

Word by Word

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

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

• नः: of us/our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• भ्रूणहा: slayer of an embryo (one who commits भ्रूणहत्या)
• भ्रूणहा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रूणहन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जातापत्: one whose child is born and then dies (child-loss)
• जातापत्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातापत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनृतोद्: speaker of falsehood/liar
• अनृतोद्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृतोद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• पूर्वाशी: one who eats first (before others)
• पूर्वाशी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वाशिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• कुले: in the family/clan
• कुले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ह: indeed (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• देवता: among/with respect to deities
• देवता: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• अतिथि: among/with respect to guests
• अतिथि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• बन्धुषु: among/with respect to relatives
• बन्धुषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• kula (the Kuru lineage implied)
• devatā (gods)
• atithi (guest)
• bandhu (kinsmen/relatives)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma highlights markers of righteous conduct in a noble lineage: avoiding grievous sins (like भ्रूणहत्या), maintaining truthfulness, and honoring social-religious obligations—especially feeding gods (through offerings), guests, and relatives before oneself.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti discourse, Bhīṣma is describing standards of conduct and inherited ethical discipline within the family line, using a list of prohibited behaviors to underscore the ideal of a dharmic household and community.