Shloka 7

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

Bṛhaspati–Yudhiṣṭhira Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

रजस्तम: सत्त्वमथो येषां निर्धौतमात्मन: । शौचाशौचसमायुक्ता: स्वकार्यपरिमार्गिण:

Transliteration

rajas-tamaḥ sattvam atho yeṣāṁ nirdhautam ātmanaḥ | śaucāśauca-samāyuktāḥ sva-kārya-parimārgiṇaḥ ||

Translation

ଯେମାନଙ୍କ ଅନ୍ତଃକରଣରୁ ରଜ, ତମ ଏବଂ ସତ୍ତ୍ୱ ମଧ୍ୟ ଧୋଇଯାଇଛି—ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ଯେମାନେ ତ୍ରିଗୁଣାତୀତ—ଏବଂ ଯେମାନେ ବାହ୍ୟ ଜଗତରେ ଶୌଚ-ଅଶୌଚ ପରିସ୍ଥିତିମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ରହି ମଧ୍ୟ ନିଜ ସ୍ୱକାର୍ଯ୍ୟ (ତତ୍ତ୍ୱବିଚାର, ଧ୍ୟାନ, ଉପାସନା ଇତ୍ୟାଦି)କୁ ମାତ୍ର ଅନୁସନ୍ଧାନ କରନ୍ତି; ସେମାନେ ଶୌଚାଚାର-ନିଷ୍ଠାରେ ଆତ୍ମଶୁଦ୍ଧି ସାଧି ପରମ ତୀର୍ଥସ୍ୱରୂପ ହୁଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• रजः: rajas (passion)
• रजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तमः: tamas (darkness/inertia)
• तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity/clarity)
• सत्त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• येषाम्: of whom/whose
• येषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• निर्धौत: washed off/cleansed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्धौ (धातु: धाव्/धौ + निर्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• आत्मनः: of the self/inner self
• आत्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शौच: purity/cleanliness
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच
• Form: Neuter, Stem (in compound), —

• अशौच: impurity/uncleanliness
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशौच
• Form: Neuter, Stem (in compound), —

• समायुक्ताः: endowed/associated (with)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-युज्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्वकार्य: one's own duty/task
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + कार्य
• Form: Neuter, Stem (in compound), —

• परिमार्गिणः: seekers/investigators (of)
• परिमार्गिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-मृग्
• Form: णिनि (agent noun), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

External states of purity/impurity are secondary; the highest sanctity lies in a person who has transcended the three guṇas and steadily pursues inner duty—truth-inquiry, meditation, and worship—thereby becoming a ‘living tīrtha’ through self-purification and renunciation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues teaching about dharma and sacredness, redefining ‘holy places’ by emphasizing the spiritual stature of guṇa-transcending sages over mere external pilgrimage or ritual conditions.