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 dit : «Dans ce traité sont exposés pleinement les Itihāsa et les Veda, ainsi que l’ensemble du raisonnement Nyāya. Il y est aussi enseigné l’ascèse (tapas), la connaissance véritable et la non-violence (ahiṃsā), et ce principe suprême qui transcende à la fois le vrai et le faux.»
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.