Shloka 17
कर्मनाशाभावः, गर्भे जीवप्रवेशः, आचारधर्मोपदेशः
Karma’s Non-Extinction, Jīva’s Entry into the Embryo, and Instruction on Conduct-Dharma
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत आश्वमेधिकपर्वके अन्तर्गत अनुगीतापर्वमें सत्रहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,मातापित्रोश्व शुश्रूषा देवतातिथिपूजनम् । गुरुपूजा घृणा शौचं नित्यमिन्द्रियसंयम: दान, व्रत, ब्रह्मचर्य, शास्त्रोक्त रीतिसे वेदाध्ययन, इन्द्रियनिग्रह, शान्ति, समस्त प्राणियोंपर दया, चित्तका संयम, कोमलता, दूसरोंके धन लेनेकी इच्छाका त्याग, संसारके प्राणियोंका मनसे भी अहित न करना, माता-पिताकी सेवा, देवता, अतिथि और गुरुओंकी पूजा, दया, पवित्रता, इन्द्रियोंको सदा काबूमें रखना तथा शुभ कर्मोंका प्रचार करना--यह सब श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंका बर्ताव कहलाता है। इनके अनुष्ठानसे धर्म होता है, जो सदा प्रजावर्गकी रक्षा करता है
mātāpitror eva śuśrūṣā devatātithipūjanam | gurupūjā ghṛṇā śaucaṃ nityam indriyasaṃyamaḥ | dānaṃ vrataṃ brahmacaryaṃ śāstroktarītyā vedādhyayanam indriyanigrahaḥ śāntiḥ sarvaprāṇiṣu dayā cittasaṃyamaḥ mārdavaṃ paradhanābhilāṣatyāgaḥ manasāpi jagatprāṇinām ahitākaraṇam | mātāpitrasevā devatātithigurupūjā dayā pavitratā indriyāṇāṃ sadā vaśīkāraḥ śubhakarmapracāraś ca—etat satpuruṣācāra ucyate | etadanuṣṭhānād dharmo bhavati yaḥ sadā prajāvargasya rakṣakaḥ ||
The Siddha declares that the conduct of the truly noble consists in a disciplined life of service and restraint: attending upon one’s mother and father, honoring the gods and guests, revering the teacher, maintaining compassion and purity, and keeping the senses continually under control. Along with these are charity, vows, celibate self-restraint, study of the Veda according to scriptural method, inner peace, kindness toward all beings, mastery of the mind, gentleness, renouncing any desire for another’s wealth, and not harming any creature even in thought—together with encouraging the spread of wholesome deeds. By practicing these observances, dharma arises; and that dharma, in turn, ever protects the community of subjects.
सिद्ध उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is generated and sustained through the disciplined conduct of noble persons: service to parents, reverence to gods/guests/teachers, purity and compassion, charity and vows, Vedic study, and firm control of senses and mind—avoiding harm even in thought and renouncing desire for others’ wealth.
Within the Anugītā discourse of the Aśvamedhika Parva, a Siddha speaker summarizes a catalogue of satpuruṣa-ācāra (ideal ethical conduct) and concludes that such practice gives rise to dharma, which protects the people.