Shloka 36
दान्तस्य किमरण्येन तथा5दान्तस्थ भारत । यत्रैव निवसेद् दान्तस्तदरण्यं स चाश्रम:,भारत! संयमी पुरुषको वनमें जानेकी क्या आवश्यकता है? और जो असंयमी है, उसको वनमें रहनेसे भी क्या लाभ है? संयमी पुरुष जहाँ रहे, वहीं उसके लिये वन और आश्रम है
dāntasya kim araṇyena tathā adāntasya bhārata | yatraiva nivased dāntas tad araṇyaṃ sa cāśramaḥ ||
भीष्म उवाच— भारत! दान्तस्य किमरण्येन? तथा अदान्तस्य भारत! अरण्येन किं प्रयोजनम्? यत्रैव निवसति दान्तः तदेव तस्य अरण्यं स चाश्रमः॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
External renunciation (living in a forest) has value only when grounded in inner restraint. True ‘forest’ and ‘hermitage’ are defined by self-control; without it, changing location or lifestyle brings little spiritual benefit.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma emphasizes ethical cultivation after the war, teaching that discipline and mastery of the senses are more essential than outward marks of ascetic life.