Shloka 9

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

आचारलक्षणो धर्म: संतश्षारित्रलक्षणा: । साधूनां च यथावृत्तमेतदाचारलक्षणम्‌

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: ācāra-lakṣaṇo dharmaḥ, santaś cāritra-lakṣaṇāḥ | sādhūnāṃ ca yathā-vṛttam etad ācāra-lakṣaṇam ||

Translation

ธรรมย่อมเป็นที่รู้จักด้วยความประพฤติอันชอบ (อาจาระ). ผู้มีคุณธรรมย่อมเป็นที่รู้จักด้วยอุปนิสัยและจริยาที่ดี. สิ่งใดที่คนดีผู้มีวินัยประพฤติจริงในชีวิต—นั่นแลคือความหมายของ ‘ความประพฤติอันสมควร’ และเป็นเครื่องหมายแห่งธรรม.

Word by Word

• आचारलक्षणः: having conduct as its mark
• आचारलक्षणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आचार-लक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सन्तः: good people, the virtuous
• सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चारित्रलक्षणाः: having good character as their mark
• चारित्रलक्षणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारित्र-लक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• साधूनाम्: of the good (people)
• साधूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यथा-वृत्तम्: as it is practiced/behaved
• यथा-वृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा-वृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आचारलक्षणम्: the mark/definition of right conduct
• आचारलक्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार-लक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is not merely a theory or rulebook; it is identified through ācāra—lived, disciplined right conduct. The reliable indicator of what is righteous is the consistent behavior and character of truly virtuous people.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira by defining dharma through observable standards: the conduct and character of the saintly and well-disciplined.