Shloka 11
Bhīṣma’s Dream-Counsel and the Prasvāpa Astra (भीष्मस्वप्नदर्शनम् / प्रस्वापास्त्रोपदेशः)
क्षत्रियस्थ तु धर्मोड्यं यद् युद्धे भूगुनन्दन । स्वाध्यायो व्रतचर्याथ ब्राह्मणानां परं धनम्
kṣatriyasya tu dharmo ’yaṃ yad yuddhe bhṛgunandana | svādhyāyo vratacaryā ca brāhmaṇānāṃ paraṃ dhanam ||
Bhīṣma said: “O descendant of Bhṛgu, for a kṣatriya this indeed is the proper duty—steadfastness in battle. But for brāhmaṇas, the highest treasure is the disciplined study of the Veda and the observance of noble vows.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma distinguishes role-based dharma: a kṣatriya’s righteousness is expressed through courage and duty in battle, while a brāhmaṇa’s highest good lies in Vedic study (svādhyāya) and disciplined observance of vows (vrata).
In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel and deliberations before the great war, Bhīṣma instructs a Bhārgava interlocutor by clarifying what constitutes proper conduct for different social roles, emphasizing that dharma is contextual to one’s station and discipline.