Shloka 19

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोध आनृशंस्यं दमस्तथा । आर्जवं चैव राजेन्द्र निश्चितं धर्मलक्षणम्‌,भीष्मजीने कहा--राजेन्द्र! अहिंसा, सत्य, अक्रोध, कोमलता, इन्द्रियसंयम और सरलता--ये धर्मके निश्चित लक्षण हैं

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca: ahiṃsā satyam akrodha ānṛśaṃsyaṃ damas tathā | ārjavaṃ caiva rājendra niścitaṃ dharmalakṣaṇam ||

Translation

Bhishma said: “O king, the sure marks of dharma are these: non-violence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, compassion (gentleness toward all beings), restraint of the senses, and straightforwardness. When these qualities are firmly established, they reveal what righteous conduct truly is.”

Word by Word

भीष्मःBhishma

उवाचsaid

अहिंसाnon-violence

सत्यम्truth

अक्रोधःabsence of anger

आनृशंस्यम्compassion, non-cruelty

दमःself-control

तथाand also; likewise

आर्जवम्straightforwardness, honesty

चand

एवindeed; just

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

निश्चितम्ascertained, definite

धर्मलक्षणम्the characteristic/mark of dharma

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma defines dharma through practical virtues: non-violence, truth, freedom from anger, compassion, sense-restraint, and straightforwardness. These are presented as reliable indicators of righteous living, not merely ritual or status.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs King Yudhisthira on dharma. Here he succinctly lists the settled marks of dharma as a guide for the king’s conduct and governance after the war.