Shloka 17

राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता

Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement

Devanagari script

अजिह्दय॒मशठं मार्ग वर्तमानस्य भारत । सर्वदा सर्वभूतेषु ब्रह्माश्रमपदं भवेत्‌

Transliteration

ajihvam aśaṭhaṁ mārge vartamānasya bhārata | sarvadā sarvabhūteṣu brahmāśramapadaṁ bhavet ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：噢，婆罗多啊，凡行于正道者——言语不两舌，行事无欺诳——于一切时对诸有情皆以真实、端直而不曲狡相待者，“梵住（Brahma-āśrama）”之境与其功德便自然生起。

Word by Word

• अजिह्वम्: free from deceitful speech / not double-tongued
• अजिह्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजिह्व (प्रातिपदिक; a- + जिह्व)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अशठम्: not crooked / not deceitful
• अशठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशठ (प्रातिपदिक; a- + शठ)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मार्गम्: path, way (conduct)
• मार्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वर्तमानस्य: of one who behaves / of one who follows (a course)
• वर्तमानस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (वर्त् धातु; वर्तमान = शतृ-कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata
• भारत: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: true

• सर्वभूतेषु: in/among all beings
• सर्वभूतेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• ब्रह्माश्रमपदम्: the state/fruit of brahma-āśrama (brahmacarya/ascetic discipline)
• ब्रह्माश्रमपदम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माश्रमपद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: would be / becomes
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भरतनन्दन: O delight of Bharata (O descendant of Bharata)
• भरतनन्दन: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharata (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Brahmāśrama

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Straightforward speech and freedom from deceit—practiced consistently toward all beings—are themselves powerful dharmic disciplines that yield the merit and inner stature associated with the Brahma-āśrama.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war, emphasizing that ethical integrity in everyday dealings can confer the same spiritual fruit as formal āśrama observances.