Shloka 96

Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीमहा भारते शान्तिपर्वणि राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणि विजिगीषमाणपृत्ते षण्णवतितमो<ध्याय:

Transliteration

iti śrīmahābhārate śāntiparvaṇi rājadharmānuśāsanaparvaṇi vijigīṣamāṇapṛtte ṣaṇṇavatitamo 'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

如是，在尊贵的《摩诃婆罗多》中，于《寂静篇》（Śānti Parva）之内，尤在《王法训诫品》（Rājadharmānuśāsana Parva，论君王职责之教诫）之中，为答一位求胜者之问而说的第九十六章至此告终。此结语之式，标志着毗湿摩关于正法王道与治国权谋之训诲一段的圆满。

Word by Word

• इति: thus; end-quote marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• श्री: glory; auspiciousness; honorific 'śrī'
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• महाभारते: in the Mahābhārata
• महाभारते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभारत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शान्तिपर्वणि: in the Śānti-parvan
• शान्तिपर्वणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तिपर्वन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणि: in the 'Instruction on the Duties of Kings' parvan (section)
• राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विजिगीषमाणपृष्टे: in (the section) 'when asked by one desiring to conquer'
• विजिगीषमाणपृष्टे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजिगीषमाणपृष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• षण्णवतितमः: ninety-sixth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षण्णवतितम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अध्यायः: chapter
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Mahābhārata
• Śānti Parva
• Rājadharmānuśāsana Parva
• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

This line is a colophon rather than a doctrinal verse: it signals that Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma (royal duty and ethical governance) has concluded for the chapter, framed as counsel given in response to a would-be victor’s questions.

What is happening in the narrative?

The text is marking the end of a chapter in the Śānti Parva. Bhīṣma, lying on the bed of arrows, continues to instruct the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) on righteous rule; this formula closes that chapter’s discourse.