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Shloka 5

Anuśāsana-parva Adhyāya 112: Dharma as the sole companion; karmic witnesses; rebirth sequences

Bṛhaspati–Yudhiṣṭhira Saṃvāda

निर्ममा निरहंकारा निर्दधन्धा निष्परिग्रहा: | शुचयस्तीर्थभूतास्ते ये भैक्ष्यमुपभुज्जते

bhīṣma uvāca | nirmamā nirahaṅkārā nirdvandvā niṣparigrahāḥ | śucayas tīrthabhūtās te ye bhaikṣyam upabhuñjate ||

ビーシュマは言った。「所有への執着(ママター)と我執(アハンカーラ)を離れ、対立する二つの相を超え、蓄えず財に結びつかぬ者——乞食によって身を支える心清き人々は、それ自体が聖なる巡礼地(ティールタ)である。彼らの生き方は、節制と謙虚さ、そしてダルマの生きた教えとなる。」

निर्ममाःfree from possessiveness
निर्ममाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिर्मम (निर् + मम)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
निरहंकाराःfree from egoism
निरहंकाराः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिरहंकार (निर् + अहंकार)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
निर्द्वन्द्वाःfree from pairs of opposites
निर्द्वन्द्वाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिर्द्वन्द्व (निर् + द्वन्द्व)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
निष्परिग्रहाःwithout possessions/attachments
निष्परिग्रहाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्परिग्रह (निस् + परिग्रह)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
शुचयःpure
शुचयः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootशुचि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तीर्थभूताःbecome/being like a sacred ford (a holy place)
तीर्थभूताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootतीर्थभूत (तीर्थ + भूत)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तेthey/those
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
येwho
ये:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
भैक्ष्यम्alms (food obtained by begging)
भैक्ष्यम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभैक्ष्य
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उपभुञ्जतेenjoy/partake (of)
उपभुञ्जते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउप + भुज्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma (speaker)
T
tīrtha (sacred ford/pilgrimage-place)
B
bhaikṣya (alms)

Educational Q&A

A truly holy person is defined not by external rites but by inner freedom: absence of possessiveness and ego, equanimity beyond dualities, and non-accumulation. Such a person, living simply on alms, becomes ‘tīrtha-like’—a source of purification and moral inspiration for others.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he describes the marks of purified ascetics and virtuous renouncers. He elevates their disciplined, non-possessive life as itself a sacred presence, comparable to a pilgrimage-site.