Shloka 11

मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity

Devanagari script

सत्यवान्‌ दानशीलबश्र ब्रह्माण्यश्वञानसूयक: । क्षान्तो दान्तो जितक्रोध: स गच्छति परां गतिम्‌

Transliteration

satyavān dānaśīlaś ca brahmaṇyaś cān asūyakaḥ | kṣānto dānto jitakrodhaḥ sa gacchati parāṃ gatim ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: One who is truthful and generous, devoted to the Brahmins and free from envy; who is forbearing, self-restrained, and has conquered anger—such a person attains the highest state.

Word by Word

सत्यवान्truthful

दानशीलःgenerous (of a giving nature)

ब्रह्मण्यःdevoted to Brahmins / devoted to Brahman (the sacred)

अश्वज्ञानःknower of horses (skilled in horses)

अनसूयकःfree from envy / not censorious

क्षान्तःforbearing, patient

दान्तःself-controlled

जितक्रोधःone who has conquered anger

सःhe

गच्छतिgoes, attains

पराम्supreme, highest

गतिम्state, course, destination

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Brahmins (brāhmaṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The highest spiritual attainment is linked to a cluster of virtues: truthfulness and generosity, reverence for the righteous (especially Brahmins as custodians of sacred learning), freedom from envy, and inner discipline—patience, sense-control, and conquest of anger.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he summarizes the qualities of a dharmic person and states the फल (result): such a person reaches the supreme goal.