Shloka 87
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
पज्चभूतान्यतिक्रान्त: स्ववीर्याच्च मनोजव: । गृहस्थधर्मेणानेन कामक्रोधौ च ते जिती
pañcabhūtāny atikrāntaḥ svavīryāc ca manojavaḥ | gṛhasthadharmeṇānena kāmakrodhau ca te jitī ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dengan keberanianmu sendiri engkau seakan melampaui lima unsur agung dan menjadi secepat pikiran. Melalui pelaksanaan dharma sebagai kepala rumah tangga inilah engkau menaklukkan nafsu dan amarah.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma praises disciplined household life as a powerful spiritual-ethical training: by properly living gṛhastha-dharma one gains inner mastery, especially victory over kāma (desire) and krodha (anger), which are key obstacles to righteous conduct.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction within the Anuśāsana Parva, he addresses his listener with commendation, describing the listener’s exceptional vigor and mental swiftness, and attributing their moral victory over desire and anger to faithful practice of the householder’s duties.