Shloka 18

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

सदा दान्तो जितक्रोध: सत्यसंधो5नसूयक:

Transliteration

sadā dānto jitakrodhaḥ satyasaṃdho 'nasūyakaḥ | sa sadā mana indriyāṇi ca saṃyamya krodhaṃ jitavān | kṛtāṃ pratijñāṃ satyatayā pālayati sma na ca kasyacid doṣān apaśyat | tasya buddhimataḥ brāhmaṇasya niyame pūrṇe tadā sākṣād bhagavān dharmas tasminn atīva prasannaḥ san pratyakṣaṃ darśanaṃ dadau |

Translation

ସେ ସଦା ଦାନ୍ତ ଥିଲେ, କ୍ରୋଧଜୟୀ ଥିଲେ, ସତ୍ୟରେ ଦୃଢ଼ ଥିଲେ ଏବଂ ଦୋଷାନ୍ୱେଷଣ କରୁନଥିଲେ। ସେ ନିତ୍ୟ ମନ ଓ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟକୁ ସଂଯମରେ ରଖୁଥିଲେ; ନିଜ ବ୍ରତକୁ ଅଚଳ ସତ୍ୟନିଷ୍ଠାରେ ପାଳନ କରୁଥିଲେ ଏବଂ ଅନ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଦୋଷ ଦେଖୁନଥିଲେ। ସେହି ବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନ୍ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କର ନିୟମ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହେବାପରେ, ସାକ୍ଷାତ୍ ଭଗବାନ୍ ଧର୍ମ ତାଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପ୍ରସନ୍ନ ହୋଇ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଦର୍ଶନ ଦେଲେ।

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• दान्तः: self-controlled, restrained
• दान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितक्रोधः: one who has conquered anger
• जितक्रोधः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितक्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यसन्धः: true to his vow, faithful to truth
• सत्यसन्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनसूयकः: non-envious, not fault-finding
• अनसूयकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनसूयक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Dharma (personified as Bhagavān Dharma)
• a brāhmaṇa (wise practitioner of niyama)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical excellence is shown through steady self-restraint: mastering anger, keeping mind and senses disciplined, honoring vows truthfully, and refusing to hunt for others’ faults. Such integrity in niyama (disciplined conduct) draws the favor of Dharma itself.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a virtuous brāhmaṇa whose completed observance—marked by restraint, truthfulness, and non-censure—culminates in a direct, personal manifestation (darśana) of Lord Dharma, who is pleased by the practitioner’s conduct.