Shloka 13
श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः
Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma
लीलयाल्पं यथा गात्रात् प्रमूज्यादात्मनो रज: । बहुयत्नेन महता दोषनिर्हरणं तथा
bhīṣma uvāca | līlayālpaṃ yathā gātrāt pramūjyād ātmano rajaḥ | bahuyatnena mahatā doṣanirharaṇaṃ tathā ||
Sebagaimana seseorang dengan mudah—hampir seperti sambil bermain—menyeka sedikit debu dari tubuhnya, demikian pula dengan upaya yang sungguh-sungguh, terus-menerus, dan diulang dari waktu ke waktu, ia dapat menyingkirkan cacat batin seperti keterikatan dan kebencian.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Small external impurities are removed easily, but deeper inner faults (doṣas) require sustained, repeated, and serious effort; ethical purification is a disciplined practice, not a one-time act.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction, Bhīṣma continues advising on righteous living and self-mastery, using a simple bodily metaphor—brushing off dust—to illustrate the gradual removal of mental and moral impurities through persistent practice.