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Shloka 6

यज्ञेऽहिंसा-प्राधान्यम्

Primacy of Non-Harm in Sacrificial Ethics

तस्मात्‌ प्रमाणत: कार्यों धर्म: सूक्ष्मो विजानता । अहिंसा सर्वभूते भ्यो धर्मेभ्यो ज्यायसी मता,अतः विज्ञ पुरुषको उचित है कि वह वैदिक प्रमाणसे धर्मके सूक्ष्म स्वरूपका निर्णय करे। सम्पूर्ण भूतोंके लिये जिन धर्मोंका विधान किया गया है, उनमें अहिंसा ही सबसे बड़ी मानी गयी है

tasmāt pramāṇataḥ kāryo dharmaḥ sūkṣmo vijānatā | ahiṁsā sarvabhūtebhyo dharmebhyo jyāyasī matā ||

ฉะนั้น ผู้มีปัญญารู้ความละเอียดพึงวินิจฉัยสภาวะอันลุ่มลึกของธรรมโดยอาศัยปรมาณะ—โดยเฉพาะพยานแห่งพระเวท—และในบรรดาหน้าที่ทั้งปวงที่บัญญัติไว้ต่อสรรพสัตว์ อหิงสาถือว่าเป็นยอดยิ่งที่สุด

तस्मात्therefore; from that (reason)
तस्मात्:
Apadana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद्
FormAblative (पञ्चमी), singular (एकवचन), masculine/neuter (contextual)
प्रमाणतःon the basis of authority/proof
प्रमाणतः:
Karana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रमाण
FormAblative in adverbial use (तसिल्-प्रत्यय), indeclinable
कार्यःto be done; should be made/undertaken
कार्यः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकार्य
FormMasculine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)
धर्मःdharma; duty/righteousness
धर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)
सूक्ष्मःsubtle
सूक्ष्मः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसूक्ष्म
FormMasculine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)
विजानताby one who knows/understands
विजानता:
Karana
TypeVerb
Rootवि + ज्ञा
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), masculine instrumental (तृतीया), singular (एकवचन)
अहिंसाnon-violence
अहिंसा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहिंसा
FormFeminine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)
सर्वभूतेभ्यःto/for all beings
सर्वभूतेभ्यः:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootसर्वभूत
FormNeuter, dative/ablative (चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी), plural (बहुवचन)
धर्मेभ्यःthan (other) dharmas/duties
धर्मेभ्यः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, ablative (पञ्चमी), plural (बहुवचन)
ज्यायसीgreater; superior
ज्यायसी:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootज्यायस्
FormFeminine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन); comparative degree
मताis considered; is held to be
मता:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootमन्
FormPast passive participle (क्त), feminine nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma

Educational Q&A

Dharma can be subtle and must be discerned through valid authority (pramāṇa), and among all duties relating to living beings, ahiṁsā (non-violence) is regarded as the highest.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira, emphasizing careful determination of dharma through authoritative sources and elevating non-violence as the supreme ethical principle.