Shloka 10
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
त॑ चेद् द्विजमुपागच्छेद् वर्तमानं स्वकर्मणि । अकुर्वाणं विकर्माणि शान्तं प्रज्ञानतर्पितम्
taṁ ced dvijam upāgacched vartamānaṁ svakarmaṇi | akurvāṇaṁ vikarmāṇi śāntaṁ prajñāna-tarpitam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Si l’on s’approche d’un “deux-fois-né” (dvija) qui demeure assidu dans le devoir qui lui est prescrit—qui ne commet pas d’actes interdits, qui est paisible, et dont l’esprit est rassasié et nourri par la sagesse—qu’on le tienne pour un être digne d’être recherché et instruit.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person becomes worthy of approach and learning when he is steady in his own prescribed duty (svadharma), avoids prohibited conduct (vikarma), remains tranquil, and is inwardly fulfilled by wisdom rather than by restless desire.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct. Here he describes the marks of a disciplined ‘dvija’—a model of ethical steadiness and wisdom—implying such a person is fit to be sought out for guidance.