Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 10

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

अप्यदृष्टं श्रवादेव पुरुषं धर्मचारिणम्‌ | भूतिकर्माणि कुर्वाणं तं जना: कुर्वते प्रियम्‌

Transliteration

apy adṛṣṭaṃ śravād eva puruṣaṃ dharmacāriṇam | bhūtikarmāṇi kurvāṇaṃ taṃ janāḥ kurvate priyam ||

Translation

ਜੋ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਧਰਮ ਦਾ ਆਚਰਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਲੋਕ-ਹਿਤ ਦੇ ਕੰਮਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਲੱਗਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਵੇਖਿਆ ਨਾ ਵੀ ਹੋਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਵੀ ਕੇਵਲ ਉਸ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਹੀ ਉਹ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਮੰਨਣ ਲੱਗ ਪੈਂਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अदृष्टम्: unseen (not seen)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अदृष्ट
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रवात्: from hearing
• श्रवात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रव
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

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

• पुरुषम्: a man/person
• पुरुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मचारिणम्: practising dharma/righteous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्मचारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूतिकर्माणि: welfare/beneficial deeds
• भूतिकर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतिकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• कुर्वाणम्: doing/performing
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: him/that (person)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कुर्वते: make/hold (as)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Lat (present), Atmanepada, Third, Plural

• प्रियम्: dear/pleasant (as dear)
• प्रियम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• a dharma-practicing person (puruṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True dharmic conduct and welfare-oriented action generate trust and affection in society; even without personal acquaintance, a virtuous person becomes beloved through the mere hearing of his character and deeds.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction (Anuśāsana Parva), he highlights a social-ethical principle: the fame of a righteous, beneficent person spreads, and people naturally feel goodwill toward him even if they have not met him.