Shloka 5
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
येन वा लभते कीर्ति येन वा लभते श्रियम् यथा वर्तयन् पुरुष: श्रेयसा सम्प्रयुज्यते
yena vā labhate kīrtiṁ yena vā labhate śriyam | yathā vartayan puruṣaḥ śreyasā samprayujyate ||
येन वा लभते कीर्तिं येन वा लभते श्रियम् | यथा वर्तयन् पुरुषः श्रेयसा सम्प्रयुज्यते ||
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma points to the practical link between right conduct and its fruits: a life lived in accordance with dharma yields both social goods (kīrti—honorable reputation) and material well-being (śrī—prosperity), and, more importantly, aligns a person with śreyas—the higher, lasting good.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma, describing the kinds of behavior and life-practice by which a person attains esteem and prosperity, framing these not merely as rewards but as signs of being rightly oriented toward śreyas.