Shloka 16

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

अविक्षतेन देहेन समराद्‌ यो निवर्तते । क्षत्रियो नास्य तत्‌ कर्म प्रशंसन्ति पुराविद:

Transliteration

avikṣatena dehena samarād yo nivartate | kṣatriyo nāsya tat karma praśaṃsanti purāvidaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“刹帝利若从战场退回而身躯无伤——未受一创——通晓古老法度的智者并不称许此举。”

Word by Word

• अविक्षतेन: with an unwounded (uninjured)
• अविक्षतेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविक्षत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• देहेन: body
• देहेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• समरात्: from battle
• समरात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निवर्तते: returns, withdraws
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Atmanepada, Third, Singular

• क्षत्रियः: a Kshatriya (warrior)
• क्षत्रियः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अस्य: of him, his
• अस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शंस्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• पुराविदः: knowers of ancient lore/tradition
• पुराविदः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• kshatriya
• battlefield (samara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Within kshatriya-dharma, honor lies in facing danger and fulfilling one’s martial duty; withdrawing from battle without even being wounded is censured by authorities on ancient dharma as conduct unworthy of praise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma is instructing on standards of warrior conduct: he states that learned upholders of traditional dharma do not commend a kshatriya who returns from combat without having borne any injury, implying he avoided proper engagement.