Shloka 10

तुलाधार-उपदेशः

Tulādhāra’s Instruction to Jājali on Ahiṃsā and Abhaya-dāna

Devanagari script

इष्टनिष्टविपत्ति शक्ष॒ व्यवसाय: समाधिता । संशय: प्रतिपत्तिश्न बुद्धे! पजचगुणान्‌ विदु:,इष्ट और अनिष्ट वृत्तियोंका नाश, विचार, समाधान, संदेह और निश्चय--ये पाँच बुद्धिके गुण माने गये हैं

Transliteration

iṣṭāniṣṭavipattiś ca vyavasāyaḥ samādhitā | saṁśayaḥ pratipattiś ca buddheḥ pañca guṇān viduḥ ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను—ఇష్టానిష్ట వృత్తుల ఆకర్షణను జయించుట (విపత్తి/నాశము), దృఢ సంకల్పము (వ్యవసాయము), సమాధి-స్థితి (ఏకాగ్ర స్థిరత్వము), సంశయము (పరీక్షించునది), మరియు ప్రతిపత్తి—స్పష్ట నిర్ణయము—ఇవే బుద్ధి యొక్క ఐదు గుణములు. వీటిచేత మనిషి ప్రతిచర్యావేగాలను నియంత్రించి, ఎంపికలను పరిశీలించి, ధర్మములో నిశ్చయముతో నిలుచును.

Word by Word

इष्टानिष्टविपत्तिःthe (pair) of desirable and undesirable misfortunes/occurrences

शक्यःpossible, capable (of being done/borne)

व्यवसायःresolve, determination, effort

समाधिताcomposure, collectedness, concentration

संशयःdoubt

प्रतिपत्तिःascertainment, understanding, attainment

चand

बुद्धेO intellect / O wise one

पञ्चगुणान्five qualities

विदुःthey know / they consider

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

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?

Bhīṣma defines five marks of a well-functioning buddhi (intellect): it is not overthrown by attraction and aversion, it can decide firmly (vyavasāya), remain steady and collected (samādhitā), entertain doubt as a tool for examination (saṁśaya), and finally reach clear ascertainment (pratipatti). Together these enable ethical discernment and stable action aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living and inner governance after the war, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira about the workings of the mind and intellect. This verse lists the key qualities by which the intellect is recognized and trained for dharmic judgment.