Shloka 97
मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity
सदा द्वादशमासान् वै जुह्मानो जातवेदसम् | अहिंसानिरतो धीमान् सत्यवागनसूयक:
sadā dvādaśa-māsān vai juhmāno jātavedasam | ahiṁsā-nirato dhīmān satyavāg anasūyakaḥ ||
Ia yang selama dua belas bulan terus-menerus mempersembahkan oblation ke dalam Jātavedas (api kurban), yang teguh dalam ahiṃsā, bijaksana dalam laku, benar dalam ucapan, dan bebas dari suka mencela—dialah perwujudan hidup berdisiplin yang dipuji dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual practice (regular fire-offerings through the yearly cycle) is presented alongside moral disciplines—non-violence, truthfulness, wisdom, and freedom from fault-finding—implying that dharma is fulfilled most completely when outer observance is matched by inner ethical restraint.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues instructing on dharma and virtuous conduct. Here he describes the qualities of an exemplary practitioner: one who maintains sustained sacrificial observance while embodying key ethical virtues, highlighting the ideal character praised in his discourse.