Shloka 24
Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ
Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra
अनुक्रोशो हि साधूनां महद्धर्मस्य लक्षणम् | अनुक्रोशश्व साधूनां सदा प्रीति प्रयच्छति
anukrośo hi sādhūnāṁ mahaddharmasya lakṣaṇam | anukrośaś ca sādhūnāṁ sadā prītiṁ prayacchati ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Welas asih adalah tanda utama Dharma yang agung pada diri orang-orang saleh. Dan welas asih dalam diri mereka senantiasa menganugerahkan sukacita serta ketenteraman batin.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that compassion (anukrośa) is a primary hallmark of great Dharma among the virtuous, and that cultivating compassion naturally yields enduring inner joy (prīti).
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is advising Yudhiṣṭhira by defining a key sign of true righteousness: the steady presence of compassion in a good person’s conduct.