Shloka 4

Gratitude, Discernment, and the Escalation of Power (Śvā–Dvipī–Vyāghra–Nāga–Siṃha–Śarabha Itihāsa)

Devanagari script

दीक्षादमपर: शान्तः स्वाध्यायपरम: शुचि: । उपवासविशुद्धात्मा सततं सच्त्वमास्थित:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca |

dīkṣā-dama-paraḥ śāntaḥ svādhyāya-paramaḥ śuciḥ |

upavāsa-viśuddhātmā satataṁ sattvam āsthitaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : «Il était voué à la discipline de la consécration (dīkṣā) et à la maîtrise de soi, l’esprit paisible, et souverainement attaché à l’étude sacrée (svādhyāya), vivant dans la pureté. Par le jeûne, son être intérieur fut purifié, et il demeurait sans cesse établi dans la qualité de sattva.»

Word by Word

• दीक्षा-दम-परः: devoted to initiation (vows) and self-control
• दीक्षा-दम-परः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीक्षा + दम + पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शान्तः: calm, tranquil
• शान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वाध्याय-परमः: chiefly devoted to Vedic study/recitation
• स्वाध्याय-परमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाध्याय + परम्/पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शुचिः: pure, clean
• शुचिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपवास-विशुद्ध-आत्मा: one whose inner self is purified by fasting
• उपवास-विशुद्ध-आत्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवास + विशुद्ध + आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सततम्: always, continually
• सततम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सततम्
• Form: true

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity/clarity; the sattva-guṇa)
• सत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having taken to; abiding in
• आस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु: स्था) → आस्थित (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Parasmaipada (participial usage)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (speaker)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical excellence is portrayed as a disciplined life: vows (dīkṣā), sense-restraint (dama), inner calm (śānti), continual scriptural study (svādhyāya), and purification through fasting (upavāsa), culminating in steady establishment in sattva (clarity and goodness).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s discourse in the Śānti Parva, he describes an exemplary person’s conduct—highlighting their vows, restraint, purity, fasting, and constant dedication to Vedic study—as a model of dharmic character.