Shloka 4
धर्ममूल: सदैवार्थ: कामो<र्थफलमुच्यते । संकल्पमूलास्ते सर्वे संकल्पो विषयात्मक:,इनमें धर्म सदा ही अर्थकी प्राप्तिका कारण है और काम अर्थका फल कहलाता है, परंतु इन तीनोंका मूल कारण है संकल्प और संकल्प है विषयरूप
bhīṣma uvāca | dharmamūlaḥ sadaivārthaḥ kāmo 'rthaphalam ucyate | saṅkalpamūlāḥ te sarve saṅkalpo viṣayātmakaḥ ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Ang dharma ang laging ugat na nagdadala sa artha (kaginhawahan at makatarungang pakinabang). Ang kāma (pagnanasa) ay sinasabing bunga na sumisibol mula sa artha. Ngunit ang tatlo—dharma, artha, at kāma—ay may ugat sa saṅkalpa (layon/kapasyahan); at ang saṅkalpa ay hinuhubog ng mga bagay na tinatarget ng pandama at isip. Kaya ang moral na direksiyon ng buhay ay sa huli nakasalalay sa kung paano binubuo at pinamamahalaan ang mga layon hinggil sa mga bagay.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that while dharma leads to artha and artha yields kāma, the deeper common root of all three is saṅkalpa—one’s inner intention. Because intention is oriented toward objects (viṣaya), ethical life depends on disciplining what one chooses to aim at and how one resolves to pursue it.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira on principles of righteous living and governance. Here he analyzes the interrelation of dharma, artha, and kāma, shifting the focus from external outcomes to the internal driver—mental resolve and its object-directed nature.