Shloka 131
Anuśāsana-parva Adhyāya 112: Dharma as the sole companion; karmic witnesses; rebirth sequences
Bṛhaspati–Yudhiṣṭhira Saṃvāda
प्रज्ञानं शौचमेवेह शरीरस्य विशेषत: । तथा निष्किंचनत्वं च मनसक्षु प्रसन्नता
prajñānaṁ śaucam eveha śarīrasya viśeṣataḥ | tathā niṣkiñcanatvaṁ ca manasaś ca prasannatā ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: Aquí deben cultivarse el discernimiento y la pureza—en especial la pureza del cuerpo—junto con el desapego de la posesión y la serenidad del ánimo; éstos son los signos distintivos de la recta conducta.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights a cluster of ethical-spiritual qualities: discernment (prajñā), purity (śauca)—with emphasis on bodily cleanliness—non-possessiveness (niṣkiñcanatva), and a serene, clear mind (prasannatā). Together they describe the inner and outer discipline that supports dharma.
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. This verse is part of his didactic counsel, listing virtues to be cultivated as standards of righteous living rather than describing an external action scene.