Shloka 25

चिरकारि-उपाख्यानम् / The Exemplum of Cirakārī: Deliberation Before Irreversible Action

Devanagari script

सर्व प्रियाभ्युपगतं धर्ममाहुर्मनीषिण: । पश्यैतं लक्षणोद्देशं धर्माधर्मे युधिछ्ठिर

Transliteration

sarva-priyābhyupagataṁ dharmam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ | paśyaitaṁ lakṣaṇoddeśaṁ dharmādharmayoḥ yudhiṣṭhira ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「賢者たちは、ダルマとは万物への善意と慈愛に根ざすものだと説く。見よ、ユディシュティラよ——これこそがダルマとアダルマを見分ける簡明な標である。普遍の慈しみにかなうものはダルマ、これに背くものはアダルマである。」

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: all, everything
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रिय: dear, pleasing
• प्रिय: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्युपगतम्: accepted, adopted, obtained
• अभ्युपगतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-उप-गम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आहुः: they say, they have said
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मनीषिणः: the wise (men)
• मनीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पश्य: see, behold
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एतम्: this (one/this)
• एतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लक्षण: mark, definition, characteristic
• लक्षण: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उद्देशम्: brief statement, indication, summary
• उद्देशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्देश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्म: in/with regard to dharma
• धर्म: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• अधर्मे: and adharma (unrighteousness)
• अधर्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira
• Dharma
• Adharma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is identified by universal benevolence: conduct that is affectionate, considerate, and beneficial toward all is dharma; its opposite is adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira how to recognize dharma succinctly, offering a practical criterion for ethical judgment after the war.