Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 24

Gārhasthya-dharma: Vāsudeva–Pṛthivī-saṃvāda

Householder Duties and Daily Offerings

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच इति भूमेर्वच: श्रुत्वा वासुदेव: प्रतापवान्‌ । तथा चकार सतत त्वमप्येवं सदाचर

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | iti bhūmervacaḥ śrutvā vāsudevaḥ pratāpavān | tathā cakāra satataṃ tvam apy evaṃ sadācara ||

Translation

Sabi ni Bhīṣma: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, nang marinig ng makapangyarihang Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa) ang mga salitang ito ng Diyosa ng Lupa, kumilos siya ayon dito at palagi niyang tinupad nang wasto ang mga tungkulin ng maybahay. Ikaw man ay laging magsanay at magtaguyod ng mga tungkuling ito bilang di-napapawing disiplina.”

Word by Word

• {'iti': 'thus

• in this manner (marking the conclusion/quotation)', 'bhūmeḥ': 'of the Earth (Bhūmi, the Earth-goddess)', 'vacaḥ': 'words

• statement', 'śrutvā': 'having heard', 'vāsudevaḥ': 'Vāsudeva

• Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva', 'pratāpavān': 'mighty

• illustrious', 'tathā': 'so

• accordingly', 'cakāra': 'did

• carried out', 'satatam': 'constantly

• continually', 'tvam api': 'you also', 'evam': 'in this way

• likewise', 'sadācara': 'always practice

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Bhūmi (Earth-goddess)
• Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the greatest—Kṛṣṇa himself—models disciplined adherence to gṛhastha-dharma after hearing the Earth-goddess; therefore Yudhiṣṭhira is urged to practice the same steady sadācāra (right conduct) without lapse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing Yudhiṣṭhira, cites a precedent: after hearing Bhūmi’s counsel, Vāsudeva acted accordingly and continuously observed household duties; Bhīṣma then directly exhorts Yudhiṣṭhira to do likewise.