Shloka 9

Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)

Devanagari script

दममेव महाराज धर्ममाहु: पुरातनम्‌ । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव तत्र कर्म समाप्यते

Transliteration

dama eva mahārāja dharmam āhuḥ purātanam | svādhyāyābhyasanaṃ caiva tatra karma samāpyate ||

Translation

ମହାରାଜ! ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟ-ସଂୟମକୁ ହିଁ ପୁରାତନ ଧର୍ମ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଇଛି। ତାହା ସହିତ ନିରନ୍ତର ସ୍ୱାଧ୍ୟାୟାଭ୍ୟାସ ମଧ୍ୟ ବିଧେୟ; କାରଣ ତାହାଦ୍ୱାରା ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କ କର୍ମ ସମାପ୍ତି ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• दमम्: self-control
• दमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/alone
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma/duty
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आहुः: they have said/call
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पुरातनम्: ancient
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्वाध्याय-अभ्यसनम्: study (of Veda) and practice/repetition
• स्वाध्याय-अभ्यसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: also/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तत्र: there/in that (matter)
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• कर्म: action/rite; (one's) duty
• कर्म: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• समाप्यते: is completed/comes to fulfillment
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आप् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada (passive sense)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Mahārāja (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the foundation of ancient dharma is dama—mastery over the senses and mind—and that regular svādhyāya (disciplined study/recitation of sacred texts) completes and perfects one’s prescribed duties.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma advises the king on righteous conduct, emphasizing inner discipline and scriptural study as central pillars of a Brahmin’s life and as universally stabilizing virtues after the turmoil of war.