Shloka 84
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
नाहं कर्ता न कर्ता त्वं कर्ता यस्तु सदा प्रभु:
nāhaṃ kartā na kartā tvaṃ kartā yastu sadā prabhuḥ
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Hindi ako ang gumagawa, ni ikaw ang gumagawa; ang tunay na gumagawa ay ang Panginoong laging makapangyarihan, Siya lamang.” Sa aral na ito, iniaalis ang pag-aangkin ng pagkilos mula sa sariling ego at iniuugnay sa pinakamataas na prinsipyong namamahala, upang ituro ang pagpapakumbaba, pagpipigil, at malinaw na pagkamatuwid sa gawa.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the doctrine of non-doership: individual beings should not cling to egoic authorship of actions. True agency belongs to the ever-sovereign Lord (prabhuḥ). This supports ethical living by reducing pride, blame, and possessiveness, while encouraging duty performed with humility.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right understanding after the war. Here he emphasizes a philosophical point about agency—redirecting attention from personal ‘I did’ to the higher governing Lord—within his broader counsel on righteous conduct and inner peace.