Shloka 10

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच प्रत्यक्ष लोकतः सिद्धिलोकश्नागमपूर्वक: । शिष्टाचारो बहुविधस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | pratyakṣaṁ lokataḥ siddhir anumāna-āgama-pūrvakaḥ | śiṣṭācāro bahuvidhas tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||

Translation

युधिष्ठिर म्हणाला— पितामह! धर्म ठरविण्यास अनेक प्रमाणे मानली जातात— प्रत्यक्ष, लोकप्रसिद्ध सिद्ध गोष्ट, आगमास आधारलेला अनुमान, आणि शिष्टजनांचे नानाविध आचार. यांपैकी सर्वात बलवान प्रमाण कोणते? कृपा करून सांगा.

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'pratyakṣam': 'direct perception

• what is seen/experienced firsthand', 'lokataḥ': 'from the world

• from common usage/people', 'siddhiḥ': 'established conclusion

• something accepted as proven', 'anumāna': 'inference

• reasoning from signs', 'āgama': 'authoritative tradition/scripture

• received teaching', 'pūrvakaḥ': 'preceded by

• based upon', 'śiṣṭācāraḥ': 'conduct/custom of the learned and well-bred

• normative practice', 'bahuvidhaḥ': 'of many kinds

• diverse', 'tan me brūhi': 'tell that to me', 'pitāmaha': 'grandfather

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a key dharma-question: when multiple authorities exist—perception, common worldly acceptance, inference, scripture/tradition, and the conduct of the learned—which should be treated as decisive. It sets up a hierarchy-of-pramāṇas discussion for ethical decision-making.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha) about how to judge dharma when different kinds of evidence and social norms appear to conflict, asking which authority is strongest.