त्रिवर्गविचारः
Tri-varga Deliberation: Dharma, Artha, Kāma
दमेन सदृशं धर्म नान्यं लोकेषु शुश्रुम ।।
damena sadṛśaṃ dharma nānyaṃ lokeṣu śuśruma | damo hi paramo loke praśastaḥ sarvadharmiṇām ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଦମ (ଆତ୍ମସଂଯମ) ସମାନ ଅନ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ଧର୍ମ ଆମେ ଶୁଣିନାହିଁ। ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ଦମକୁ ପରମ ଗୁଣ ବୋଲି ଧର୍ମାଚାରୀ ସମସ୍ତେ ପ୍ରଶଂସା କରନ୍ତି।
भीष्म उवाच
Self-restraint (dama)—control of senses, impulses, and speech—is presented as the supreme dharma, the foundation that supports all other virtues and makes righteous conduct stable and effective.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on dharma after the war, emphasizing that among moral disciplines, self-control is universally praised as the highest.