Shloka 104
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
ईरष्याभिमानलोभेषु कामक्रोधभयेषु च
īrṣyābhimānalobheṣu kāmakrodhabhayeṣu ca
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଇର୍ଷ୍ୟା, ଅଭିମାନ ଓ ଲୋଭରେ, ଏବଂ କାମ, କ୍ରୋଧ ଓ ଭୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ସଦା ସଚେତନ ରହିବା ଉଚିତ; କାରଣ ଏହି ଅନ୍ତଃଶତ୍ରୁମାନେ ବିବେକକୁ ବିକ୍ଷୁବ୍ଧ କରି ଧର୍ମପଥରୁ ଭ୍ରଷ୍ଟ କରନ୍ତି।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights key inner vices—jealousy, pride, greed, desire, anger, and fear—as major disruptors of discernment; ethical life (dharma) requires recognizing and restraining these impulses before they drive harmful speech and action.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma continues a didactic sequence on right conduct and mental discipline, listing emotional states that commonly cause a person to deviate from dharma.