Shloka 102

Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ कौन्तेय विदुषा धर्माधर्मविनिश्चये | बुद्धिमास्थाय लोके5स्मिन्‌ वर्तितव्यं कृतात्मना,अतः कुन्तीनन्दन! अपने मनको वशमें रखनेवाले विद्वान्‌ पुरुषको चाहिये कि वह इस जगत्‌में धर्म और अधर्मका निर्णय करनेके लिये अपनी ही विशुद्ध बुद्धिका आश्रय लेकर यथायोग्य बर्ताव करे

Transliteration

tasmāt kaunteya viduṣā dharmādharmaviniścaye | buddhim āsthāya loke 'smin vartitavyaṃ kṛtātmanā ||

Translation

Kaya nga, O anak ni Kuntī, kapag kailangang magpasya sa pagitan ng dharma at adharma, ang taong marunong—na may pagpipigil-sa-sarili at disiplina sa loob—ay dapat umasa sa sarili niyang dalisay na paghatol at kumilos sa daigdig na ito ayon sa tunay na nararapat.

Word by Word

तस्मात्therefore

कौन्तेयO son of Kunti

विदुषाby/with a wise man (i.e., by the wise)

धर्माधर्मविनिश्चयेin the determination of dharma and adharma

बुद्धिम्intellect

आस्थायhaving relied on

लोकेin the world

अस्मिन्in this

वर्तितव्यम्should be conducted/one should act

कृतात्मनाby one who is self-controlled (lit. whose self is mastered)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Kaunteya (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When faced with uncertainty about what is dharma versus adharma, one should not act impulsively or merely imitate others; a wise, self-governed person should rely on clear, purified discernment (buddhi) and then act appropriately in the world.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma continues his ethical counsel after the war, emphasizing practical moral reasoning: disciplined inner control and sound judgment are necessary to decide right action amid complex situations.