Shloka 24
Vimokṣa-niścaya: Pañcaśikha’s Analysis of Aggregates, Guṇas, and Tyāga (मोक्षनिर्णयः)
दोषाणामेवमादीनां परीक्ष्य गुरुलाघवम् । विमृशेदात्मसंस्थानमेकैकमनुसंततम्,इनके तथा ऐसे ही दूसरे दोषोंके बड़े-छोटेका विचार करके फिर इस बातकी परीक्षा करे कि इनमेंसे एक-एक दोष मुझमें है या नहीं। यदि है तो कितनी मात्रामें है (इस तरह विचार करते हुए सभी दोषोंसे छूटनेका प्रयत्न करे)
doṣāṇām evam-ādīnāṁ parīkṣya guru-lāghavam | vimṛśed ātma-saṁsthānam ekaikam anusantatam ||
Bhishma said: Having thus examined the weight and lightness—i.e., the gravity and relative insignificance—of these faults and others like them, one should then reflect continuously upon one’s own inner condition, considering each fault one by one: whether it is present in oneself, and if so, to what extent. In this way, through sustained self-scrutiny, one should strive to become free from all such defects.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
To assess moral faults by their relative seriousness and then engage in sustained, item-by-item self-scrutiny—checking whether each fault exists in oneself and in what measure—so that one can deliberately work toward freedom from those defects.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma continues advising the listener on ethical cultivation: after identifying various doṣas (faults), one must evaluate their gravity and then turn the inquiry inward through continuous self-assessment.