Shloka 13

लीलयाल्पं यथा गात्रात्‌ प्रमूज्यादात्मनो रज: । बहुयत्नेन महता दोषनिर्हरणं तथा,“जैसे अपने शरीरमें लगी हुई थोड़ी-सी धूलको मनुष्य साधारण चेष्टासे खेल-खेलमें ही झाड़-पोछ देता है, उसी प्रकार बारंबार किये हुए महान्‌ प्रयत्नसे वह अपने राग-द्वेष आदि दोषोंको भी दूर कर सकता है

bhīṣma uvāca | līlayālpaṃ yathā gātrāt pramūjyād ātmano rajaḥ | bahuyatnena mahatā doṣanirharaṇaṃ tathā ||

Bhīṣma berkata: “Seperti seseorang dengan gerak yang mudah, seakan-akan sambil bermain, dapat menyapu sedikit debu dari tubuhnya, demikian juga seseorang dapat menyingkirkan kecacatan batin—seperti keterikatan dan kebencian—melalui usaha yang tekun dan bersungguh-sungguh, diulang dari masa ke masa.”

लीलयाplayfully, as a sport
लीलया:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootलीला
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
अल्पम्a little (amount)
अल्पम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअल्प
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
गात्रात्from the body/limb
गात्रात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootगात्र
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
प्रमृज्यात्would wipe off / may wipe away
प्रमृज्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + मृज्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
आत्मनःof oneself
आत्मनः:
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
रजःdust
रजः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरजस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
बहुwith much (effort)
बहु:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
यत्नेनby effort
यत्नेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
महताby great (effort)
महता:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
दोषfault, defect
दोष:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदोष
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
निर्हरणम्removal, taking out
निर्हरणम्:
TypeNoun
Rootनिर् + हृ (→ हरण)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तथाso, in the same way
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
D
dust (rajaḥ)
B
body/limbs (gātra)

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.