Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 66

Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā

Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving

Devanagari script

ध्यातव्यं मनसा हृ॒द्यं कल्याणं संविजानता । अतः समझदार पुरुषको वैमनस्यके कारण प्राप्त हुए दुःखका निवारण करके मन-ही- मन हृदयस्थित कल्याणमय परमात्माका चिन्तन करना चाहिये

Transliteration

dhyātavyaṃ manasā hṛdyaṃ kalyāṇaṃ saṃvijānātā | ataḥ samajñāraḥ puruṣo vaimanasya-kāraṇāt prāptaṃ duḥkhaṃ nivārya manaḥ-manasā hṛdi-sthitaṃ kalyāṇamayaṃ paramātmānaṃ cintayet ||

Translation

قال بهيشما: من أحسن الفهم فليتأمّل بعقله تلك الحقيقة المباركة، المحبوبة، المقيمة في القلب. لذلك ينبغي للرجل البصير أن يزيل أولاً الحزن الناشئ من الضغينة والتنازع الباطني، ثم يتوجّه في سريرته إلى التأمّل في الذات العليا، بالغة الإحسان، الساكنة في القلب.

Word by Word

• ध्यातव्यम्: is to be meditated upon / should be contemplated
• ध्यातव्यम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) → ध्यातव्य (तव्यत्-कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्, भावे/कर्मणि (कर्तव्यता), नपुंसक, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन

• हृद्यम्: heart-pleasing / dear to the heart
• हृद्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृद्य
• Form: नपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कल्याणम्: the auspicious good (welfare)
• कल्याणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्याण
• Form: नपुंसक, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• संविजानता: by one who understands/realizes (knowing well)
• संविजानता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → संविजानत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Paramatma (Supreme Self)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

First pacify the mind by removing sorrow born of resentment and inner discord, then contemplate the auspicious Supreme Self dwelling in the heart; inner clarity is presented as the basis for true meditation and ethical steadiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on peace and right conduct after the war, emphasizing inward discipline: overcoming mental hostility and turning the mind toward the heart-abiding Supreme Reality.