Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कायवितौ हि धर्मेण धर्मो हि विजयावह: । त्रयाणामपि लोकानामालोक: कारणं भवेत्‌,विशुद्ध और पापके स्पर्शका अभाव--ये दोनों धर्मके कार्य हैं। धर्म विजयकी प्राप्ति करानेवाला और तीनों लोकोंमें प्रकाश फैलानेवाला है। वही इस लोककी रक्षाका कारण है

Transliteration

kāyavitau hi dharmeṇa dharmo hi vijayāvahaḥ | trayāṇām api lokānām ālokaḥ kāraṇaṃ bhavet |

Translation

Bhishma sprach: Wenn das Verhalten eines Menschen durch Dharma gezügelt und geordnet wird, wird Dharma selbst zum Bringer des Sieges. Er ist das Licht, das die drei Welten erhellt, und wird in dieser Welt zur tragenden Ursache des Schutzes—erzeugt Reinheit und verhindert die Berührung durch Sünde.

Word by Word

कायवितौthe two (things) called 'kāyavita' (two qualities/acts)

हिindeed/for

धर्मेणby/through dharma

धर्मःdharma

हिindeed

विजयावहःbringing victory

त्रयाणाम्of the three

अपिalso/even

लोकानाम्of the worlds

आलोकःlight/illumination

कारणम्cause

भवेत्may be / would be

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

dharma

three worlds (trayāṇi lokāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma, expressed as disciplined conduct and purity, is not merely a rule but a power: it leads to victory, illumines the three worlds, and protects life by keeping one free from the contact of sin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues his instruction on righteous living. Here he emphasizes to his listener that dharma governs conduct, generates inner and outer purity, and functions as a universal light and protective force.