Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 137
सर्वागमानामाचार: प्रथमं परिकल्पते । आचारप्रभवो धर्मों धर्मस्य प्रभुरच्युत:,सब शास्त्रोंमें आचार प्रथम माना जाता है, आचारसे ही धर्मकी उत्पत्ति होती है और धर्मके स्वामी भगवान् अच्युत हैं
sarvāgamānām ācāraḥ prathamaṁ parikalpate | ācāra-prabhavo dharmo dharmasya prabhur acyutaḥ ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: Sa lahat ng mga tradisyong kasulatan, ang ācāra—wastong asal at gawi—ang itinuturing na unang saligan. Mula sa gayong asal sumisibol ang dharma, at ang kataas-taasang Panginoon ng dharma ay si Acyuta, ang Di-Nasisira.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dharma is grounded first in lived, exemplary conduct (ācāra), and that the ultimate authority and protector of dharma is Acyuta—God as the imperishable moral sovereign.
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma. Here he emphasizes that beyond textual learning, the primary basis of righteousness is proper conduct, culminating in the recognition of the divine lordship of Acyuta over dharma.