Shloka 28

Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ सत्यव्रताचार: सत्यव्रतपरायण:

Transliteration

tasmāt satyavratācāraḥ satyavrataparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

Therefore, one should conduct oneself in accordance with a vow of truth and remain steadfastly devoted to that very vow—making truthfulness the guiding rule of one’s life and practice.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, ablative, singular

• सत्यव्रताचारः: one whose conduct is (in accordance with) a true vow
• सत्यव्रताचारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यव्रताचार
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सत्यव्रतपरायणः: devoted to the true vow
• सत्यव्रतपरायणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यव्रतपरायण
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma teaches that dharma is strengthened by making truth (satya) a disciplined vow (vrata): one should shape one’s conduct (ācāra) around truthfulness and remain unwaveringly committed to it as a life-principle.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct after the war; here he emphasizes truth-vow as a foundational ethical discipline to be adopted and maintained consistently.