Shloka 136

उपवासविधि-प्रश्नः

Inquiry into the Discipline of Fasting

Devanagari script

धर्म हि श्रेय इत्याहुरिति धर्मविदो जना: । बड़ा भाई अच्छा काम करनेवाला हो या बुरा

Transliteration

dharma hi śreya ity āhur iti dharmavido janāḥ |

Translation

भीष्म उवाच—धर्मो हि श्रेय इत्याहुर्धर्मविदो जनाः। तस्मात् ज्येष्ठो भ्राता शुभकर्मा पापकर्मा वा भवतु, कनिष्ठेन न तिरस्कर्तव्यः। तथा भार्या वा कनिष्ठो भ्राता वा यदि कुमार्गं गतौ स्याताम्, तयोः हिताय यथाशक्ति यथोपायं श्रेष्ठेन कर्तव्यम्; यतो धर्म एव कल्याणस्य परमो हेतुरिति॥

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'dharma', 'definition': 'righteous duty

• conduct that sustains social and spiritual well-being'}, {'term': 'hi', 'definition': 'indeed

• certainly (emphatic particle)'}, {'term': 'śreyas (śreyaḥ)', 'definition': 'the highest good

• what is ultimately beneficial'}, {'term': 'iti', 'definition': 'thus

• so (quotative particle)'}, {'term': 'āhuḥ', 'definition': 'they say

• they declare (3rd person plural perfect of √ah)'}, {'term': 'dharmavidaḥ', 'definition': 'knowers of dharma

• those learned in righteous conduct'}, {'term': 'janāḥ', 'definition': 'people

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is presented as the supreme means to welfare (śreyas). From this follows an ethic of restraint and responsibility within the family: do not dishonor elders, and when dependents or juniors go astray, guide them by whatever effective, welfare-producing means aligns with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising on righteous conduct. Here he summarizes the authority of dharma-teachers—“dharma is the highest good”—and applies it to household relationships, emphasizing respect and corrective guidance rather than contempt.