Shloka 9
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
आचारलक्षणो धर्म: संतश्षारित्रलक्षणा: । साधूनां च यथावृत्तमेतदाचारलक्षणम्
Bhīṣma uvāca: ācāra-lakṣaṇo dharmaḥ, santaś cāritra-lakṣaṇāḥ | sādhūnāṃ ca yathā-vṛttam etad ācāra-lakṣaṇam ||
Bhishma dijo: «El dharma se reconoce por la recta conducta (ācāra). A los virtuosos se los conoce por su buen carácter. Aquello que los buenos y disciplinados practican realmente en la vida: ese comportamiento vivido es, precisamente, lo que se llama “conducta apropiada” y es la marca del dharma.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not merely a theory or rulebook; it is identified through ācāra—lived, disciplined right conduct. The reliable indicator of what is righteous is the consistent behavior and character of truly virtuous people.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira by defining dharma through observable standards: the conduct and character of the saintly and well-disciplined.