Shloka 24

Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications

Devanagari script

शिष्टाचार: प्रियो येषु दमो येषु प्रतिष्ठित: । सुखं दुःखं सम॑ येषां सत्यं येषां परायणम्‌,जिन्हें शिष्टाचार प्रिय है। जिनमें इन्द्रिय-संयम प्रतिष्ठित है। जिनके लिये सुख और दुःख समान है। सत्य ही जिनका परम आश्रय है

Transliteration

śiṣṭācāraḥ priyo yeṣu damo yeṣu pratiṣṭhitaḥ | sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ samaṁ yeṣāṁ satyaṁ yeṣāṁ parāyaṇam ||

Translation

Dijo Bhīṣma: Aquellos para quienes es querida la conducta de los justos; en quienes el dominio de sí (dama) está firmemente asentado; para quienes placer y dolor se tienen por iguales; y para quienes la verdad es el refugio supremo—tales personas encarnan el ideal ético inquebrantable que sostiene el dharma.

Word by Word

शिष्टाचारःgood conduct, proper etiquette

प्रियःdear, beloved

येषुin whom/for whom

दमःself-control, restraint

येषुin whom

प्रतिष्ठितःestablished, firmly set

सुखम्happiness, pleasure

दुःखम्sorrow, pain

समम्equal, the same

येषाम्of whom/for whom

सत्यम्truth

येषाम्of whom/whose

परायणम्supreme refuge/goal, final resort

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse defines a dharmic character-type: one who loves the standards of the righteous (śiṣṭācāra), is grounded in self-restraint (dama), remains even-minded in pleasure and pain, and takes truth as the highest support. Together these mark inner steadiness and moral reliability.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he lists qualities that identify truly virtuous persons, emphasizing disciplined conduct, equanimity, and unwavering commitment to truth.