Shloka 56
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
तस्यैश्वर्य च धैर्य च व्यवसायश्न कर्मसु । तात! जो बुद्धिमान मनुष्य सदा सात््विक वृत्तिका सहारा लिये रहता है। उसीको एऐश्वर्य और धैर्यकी प्राप्ति होती है तथा वही सम्पूर्ण कर्मोंमें उद्योगशील होता है
tasya aiśvaryaṃ ca dhairyaṃ ca vyavasāyaś ca karmasu | tāta, yo buddhimān manuṣyaḥ sadā sāttvika-vṛttikā-sahāraṃ līyate, tasyaiva aiśvarya-dhairya-prāptir bhavati, sa eva ca sarva-karmasu udyogaśīlaḥ | sarvaiḥ kratuśatair iṣṭaṃ na tvam ekaḥ śatakratuḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dari itu (watak sāttvika) timbul kedaulatan, keteguhan hati, dan tekad yang mantap dalam tindakan. Anakku, hanya orang bijak yang senantiasa berlindung pada laku hidup sāttvika yang meraih kemakmuran sejati dan daya tahan, dan hanya dia yang tetap giat dalam setiap kewajiban. Banyak yang telah mempersembahkan seratus-seratus kratu; engkau bukan satu-satunya ‘Śatakratu’.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma links lasting prosperity (aiśvarya), courage (dhairya), and effective resolve in work (vyavasāya) to a sustained sāttvika disposition—purity, balance, and clarity in conduct. He also cautions against pride in ritual achievement by noting that many have performed great sacrifices; virtue is measured by inner quality and steady effort, not by boastful comparison.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising the listener (addressed as ‘tāta’) on ethical foundations for life and rule. He emphasizes inner temperament as the source of strength and success, and he undercuts self-importance connected with sacrificial prestige by invoking the epithet ‘Śatakratu’ (Indra) and reminding that such feats are not unique.