Shloka 141
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
इतिहासाश्ष वेदाश्न न्याय: कृत्स्नश्न वर्णित: । तपो ज्ञानमहिंसा च सत्यासत्येन य: पर:
itihāsāś ca vedāś ca nyāyaḥ kṛtsnaś ca varṇitaḥ | tapo jñānam ahiṃsā ca satyāsatyena yaḥ paraḥ ||
Bhīṣma dijo: «En ese tratado se exponen plenamente los Itihāsas y los Vedas, y también la totalidad del razonamiento Nyāya. Asimismo explica la austeridad (tapas), el conocimiento verdadero y la no violencia (ahiṃsā), y aquel principio supremo que trasciende tanto la verdad como la falsedad».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma praises a comprehensive dharma-teaching text as encompassing scriptural revelation (Veda), traditional authoritative narrative (Itihāsa), and rational inquiry (Nyāya), while also grounding conduct in tapas, jñāna, and ahiṃsā, and pointing to a highest reality that transcends ordinary dualities like truth and falsehood.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira by describing the scope of a revered compendium of dharma and wisdom, emphasizing that it contains both doctrinal sources and ethical disciplines.