Shloka 56
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
तस्यैश्वर्य च धैर्य च व्यवसायश्न कर्मसु । तात! जो बुद्धिमान मनुष्य सदा सात््विक वृत्तिका सहारा लिये रहता है। उसीको एऐश्वर्य और धैर्यकी प्राप्ति होती है तथा वही सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंमें उद्योगशील होता है,सर्वे: क्रतुशतैरिष्टं न त्वमेक: शतक्रतु:ः
tasya aiśvaryaṃ ca dhairyaṃ ca vyavasāyaś ca karmasu | tāta, yo buddhimān manuṣyaḥ sadā sāttvika-vṛttikā-sahāraṃ līyate, tasyaiva aiśvarya-dhairya-prāptir bhavati, sa eva ca sarva-karmasu udyogaśīlaḥ | sarvaiḥ kratuśatair iṣṭaṃ na tvam ekaḥ śatakratuḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “From that sāttvika disposition arise sovereignty and steadfast courage, and a firm resolve in action. Dear one, the wise person who continually takes refuge in a sāttvika way of life alone attains true prosperity and endurance, and he alone remains energetic in every duty. Many have performed hundreds of sacrificial rites; you are not the only ‘hundred-sacrifice’ performer.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma links lasting prosperity (aiśvarya), courage (dhairya), and effective resolve in work (vyavasāya) to a sustained sāttvika disposition—purity, balance, and clarity in conduct. He also cautions against pride in ritual achievement by noting that many have performed great sacrifices; virtue is measured by inner quality and steady effort, not by boastful comparison.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising the listener (addressed as ‘tāta’) on ethical foundations for life and rule. He emphasizes inner temperament as the source of strength and success, and he undercuts self-importance connected with sacrificial prestige by invoking the epithet ‘Śatakratu’ (Indra) and reminding that such feats are not unique.