Shloka 32

Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra

Devanagari script

एक एव चरेद्‌ धर्म नास्ति धर्मे सहायता । केवलं विधिमासाद्य सहाय: कि करिष्यति,केवल वेदविधिका सहारा लेकर अकेले ही धर्मका आचरण करना चाहिये। उसमें सहायताकी आवश्यकता नहीं है। कोई दूसरा सहायक आकर क्या करेगा

Transliteration

eka eva cared dharmaṁ nāsti dharme sahāyatā | kevalaṁ vidhim āsādya sahāyaḥ ki kariṣyati ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ధర్మాన్ని ఒంటరిగా ఆచరించాలి; ధర్మంలో సహాయకులపై ఆధారం లేదు. విధినే ఆశ్రయంగా చేసుకొని నడుచు—బాహ్య సహాయకుడు వచ్చి ఏమి చేయగలడు?

Word by Word

एकःalone, single (person)

एवindeed, only

चरेत्should practice / should conduct oneself

धर्मम्dharma, righteous conduct

नnot

अस्तिis / exists

धर्मेin dharma / in righteous conduct

सहायताhelp, assistance

केवलम्only, merely

विधिम्rule, injunction, prescribed method

आसाद्यhaving obtained / having resorted to

सहायःhelper, assistant

किम्what?

करिष्यतिwill do

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is fundamentally personal: right conduct depends on one’s own commitment to the proper rule (vidhi), not on external support. Helpers cannot substitute for inner resolve and correct adherence to the prescribed path.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Bhishma continues advising the listener on ethical conduct, emphasizing that dharma is to be pursued independently, with śāstric method as the true support rather than reliance on other people.