Shloka 28

Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications

Devanagari script

न त्रासिनो न चपला न रौद्रा: सत्यथे स्थिता: । ते सेव्या: साधुभिननित्य॑ येष्वहिंसा प्रतिेष्ठिता

Transliteration

na trāsino na capalā na raudrāḥ satyataye sthitāḥ | te sevyāḥ sādhubhir nityaṃ yeṣv ahiṃsā pratiṣṭhitā ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Those who do not frighten others, who are not fickle, and whose nature is not harsh or terrifying—who remain steadfast for the sake of truth, and in whom non-violence is firmly established—such noble persons alone should be constantly associated with and served by the good.

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'trāsinaḥ': 'those who cause fear

• intimidators', 'capalāḥ': 'fickle, unsteady, restless in conduct', 'raudrāḥ': 'fierce, cruel, harsh-tempered', 'satyataye': 'for truthfulness

• for the sake of truth (satya)', 'sthitāḥ': 'steadfast, established, abiding', 'te': 'they', 'sevyāḥ': 'to be served/attended upon

• worthy of association', 'sādhubhiḥ': 'by the virtuous/good people', 'nityam': 'always, constantly', 'yeṣu': 'in whom', 'ahiṃsā': 'non-violence

• non-injury in thought, word, and deed', 'pratiṣṭhitā': 'firmly established, well-founded'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Cultivate and seek the company of people who are truthful, steady, non-threatening, and non-violent; such association supports dharma and moral clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira about the marks of truly good persons and recommends constant association with those grounded in truth and ahiṃsā.