Shloka 39

Devanagari script

नदीमार्गेषु च तथा संक्रमानवसादयेत्‌ । जलं विस्रावयेत्‌ सर्वमविस्राव्यं च दूषयेत्‌

Transliteration

nadīmārgeṣu ca tathā saṅkramān avasādayet | jalaṃ visrāvayet sarvam avisrāvyaṃ ca dūṣayet ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“同样，也应阻塞河道，使渡口与浅滩不可通行；应将水尽数放泄，凡不能放泄者，则当加以污染。”

Word by Word

• नदीमार्गेषु: in river-channels/river-routes
• नदीमार्गेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदीमार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तथा: likewise/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• संक्रमान्: fords/crossing-places
• संक्रमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अवसादयेत्: should sink/ruin (make unusable)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अवसादय (अव + सद्/साद्, causative)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विस्रावयेत्: should cause to flow out/drain
• Type: Verb
• Root: विस्रावय (वि + स्रु, causative)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अविस्राव्यम्: that which should not be drained/let out
• अविस्राव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविस्राव्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दूषयेत्: should pollute/contaminate
• Type: Verb
• Root: दूषय (दूष्, causative)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• river channels (nadī-mārga)
• fords/crossings (saṅkrama)
• water (jala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights extreme coercive tactics—blocking waterways, disabling fords, draining or contaminating water—implicitly raising the dharmic question of limits in conflict and governance, since such acts harm civilians and the common good.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing on matters of policy and conflict, lists measures aimed at weakening an opponent by targeting water access and mobility—river routes and crossings—through obstruction, drainage, or pollution.