Shloka 6

Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्

Devanagari script

कुट॒म्बिको धर्मकाम: सदास्वप्रश्चन मानव:

Transliteration

kuṭambiko dharmakāmaḥ sadāsvapraśca mānavaḥ

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “A householder, devoted to dharma and the pursuit of what is right, should live as a disciplined human being—ever self-controlled and vigilant in conduct.”

Word by Word

• कुटम्बिकः: householder, family-man
• कुटम्बिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटम्बिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मकामः: desirous of dharma (righteousness)
• धर्मकामः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मकाम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• स्वप्रश्चनः: one who asks about/consults his own (people); self-inquiring
• स्वप्रश्चनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वप्रश्चन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मानवः: man, human
• मानवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• kuṭambika (householder)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma emphasizes that the gṛhastha (householder) life must be anchored in dharma and sustained by continual self-restraint; ethical living is not accidental but a daily discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct. Here he characterizes the ideal householder as one who consistently chooses dharma and maintains self-control.