Shloka 23

Devanagari script

सुवृत्त: शीलसम्पन्न: प्रसन्नात्मा55त्मविद्‌ बुध: । प्राप्पेह लोके सत्कारं सुगतिं प्रतिपद्यते,जो सदाचारी, शीलसम्पन्न, प्रसन्नचित्त और आत्मतत्त्वको जाननेवाला है, वह विद्दान्‌ पुरुष इस लोकमें सत्कार पाकर परलोकमें परम गति पाता है

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca | suvṛttaḥ śīlasampannaḥ prasannātmā ātmavid budhaḥ | prāpya iha loke satkāraṃ sugatiṃ pratipadyate ||

Translation

Bhishma said: A person of good conduct, endowed with virtuous character, serene in mind, and knowledgeable of the Self—such a wise one gains honor in this world and, after death, attains a blessed and auspicious state.

Word by Word

सुवृत्तःof good conduct

शीलसम्पन्नःendowed with good character

प्रसन्नात्माserene-minded (with a calm self)

आत्मविद्knower of the Self

बुधःa wise man

प्राप्यhaving obtained

इहhere (in this world)

लोकेin the world

सत्कारम्honor, respect

सुगतिम्good state/destination

प्रतिपद्यतेattains, reaches

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

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?

Ethical conduct (suvṛtta, śīla) combined with inner serenity (prasannātmā) and Self-knowledge (ātmavit) leads to two fruits: honor in society here (satkāra) and a blessed posthumous destiny (sugati).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and right living. Here he summarizes the qualities of an ideal person and states the worldly and otherworldly outcomes of such a life.