Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अप्रामाण्यं च वेदानां शास्त्राणां चाभिलड्घनम्‌ । अव्यवस्था च सर्वत्र तद्‌ वै नाशनमात्मन:

Transliteration

aprāmāṇyaṃ ca vedānāṃ śāstrāṇāṃ cābhilaṅghanam | avyavasthā ca sarvatra tad vai nāśanam ātmanaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“宣称吠陀无权威，违越诸论典（śāstra）的戒令，并在各处散布无序——这些恶习，确实招致自身的毁灭。”

Word by Word

• अप्रामाण्यम्: invalidity / non-authoritativeness
• अप्रामाण्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रामाण्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• वेदानाम्: of the Vedas
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• शास्त्राणाम्: of the scriptures / treatises
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

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

• अभिलङ्घनम्: transgression / violation
• अभिलङ्घनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिलङ्घन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अव्यवस्था: disorder / lack of proper arrangement
• अव्यवस्था: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यवस्था
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र

• तत्: that (i.e., this set of faults)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• नाशनम्: destruction / ruin
• नाशनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाशन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Vedas
• Śāstras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Rejecting the authority of the Vedas, violating śāstric injunctions, and creating disorder are self-destructive faults; dharma depends on recognized sources of guidance and stable order.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma after the war, Bhīṣma advises the listener (Yudhiṣṭhira) by listing behaviors that undermine moral and social foundations and lead to one’s own downfall.