Shloka 23
Adhyāya 164: Gautama as Guest; Kaśyapa’s Satkāra and the Fourfold Arthagati; Journey to Virūpākṣa
त्वया सत्यार्थिना नित्यं विजिता ज्येष्ठसेवनात्,कहते हैं, ये तेरहों दोष शान्ति धारण करनेसे जीत लिये जाते हैं। धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्रोंमें ये सभी दोष मौजूद थे और तुम सत्यको ग्रहण करना चाहते हो; इसलिये तुमने श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंके सेवनसे इन सबपर विजय प्राप्त कर ली
tvayā satyārthinā nityaṃ vijitā jyeṣṭha-sevanāt | kathayanti—ime trayodaśa doṣāḥ śānti-dhāraṇena jitā bhavanti | dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putreṣu te sarve doṣāḥ santi, tvaṃ ca satyaṃ grahītuṃ icchasi; tasmāt jyeṣṭha-puruṣa-sevanena teṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ doṣāṇāṃ tvayā jayaḥ prāptaḥ ||
Bhishma said: “Because you are ever a seeker of truth, you have conquered these faults by constant service to your elders. It is said that these thirteen defects are overcome by sustaining peace and self-restraint. All of these defects were present among the sons of Dhritarashtra; but you wish to accept the truth. Therefore, through attendance upon noble elders, you have gained victory over them all.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Peaceful restraint (śānti-dhāraṇa) and the disciplined habit of serving and learning from elders (jyeṣṭha-sevā) enable a truth-seeker to overcome deep-seated vices; moral victory is portrayed as a result of humility, guidance, and steady inner calm.
Bhishma, instructing the listener in the Śānti Parva, contrasts the faults found among Dhritarashtra’s sons with the listener’s aspiration for truth, praising the listener for having conquered those faults through sustained peace and reverent service to venerable elders.