Shloka 18

श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः

Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma

Devanagari script

यथावत्‌ सम्प्रवर्तन्ते यस्मिंस्तिष्ठन्ति वा विभो । तत्‌ ते<नुपूर्व्या व्याख्यास्थे तदिहैकमना: शृणु

Transliteration

yathāvat sampravartante yasmiṁs tiṣṭhanti vā vibho | tat te'nupūrvyā vyākhyāsthe tad ihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : Ô puissant, je t’exposerai, dans l’ordre convenable, comment les êtres s’engagent justement dans l’action, pour quelle raison ils s’y maintiennent établis, et dans quel état ils s’en retirent. Écoute ici d’un esprit à l’unique pointe.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'yathāvat', 'definition': 'properly

• in the correct manner'}, {'term': 'sampravartante', 'definition': 'they set forth

• they commence activity'}, {'term': 'yasmin', 'definition': 'in/for which

• the cause or ground'}, {'term': 'tiṣṭhanti', 'definition': 'they stand

• stay established'}, {'term': 'vā', 'definition': 'or

• and/or'}, {'term': 'vibho', 'definition': 'O powerful one

• O lord (vocative of vibhu)'}, {'term': 'tat', 'definition': 'that

• those matters'}, {'term': 'te', 'definition': 'to you

• for you'}, {'term': 'anupūrvyā', 'definition': 'in proper sequence

• in order'}, {'term': 'vyākhyāsthe (vyākhyāsye)', 'definition': 'I shall explain

• I will expound'}, {'term': 'iha', 'definition': 'here

• in this context/teaching'}, {'term': 'ekamanāḥ', 'definition': 'single-minded

• with one-pointed attention'}, {'term': 'śṛṇu', 'definition': 'listen (imperative)'}]

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• vibhu (addressed lord/mighty one)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma frames a systematic ethical inquiry into action: how one rightly enters into karma, what sustains one’s engagement, and under what conditions one should withdraw—emphasizing ordered instruction and attentive listening.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Bhīṣma continues instructing his listener (addressed as “vibhu”), announcing that he will explain the topic step by step and urging focused attention before proceeding with the detailed exposition.