Shloka 10
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
त॑ चेद् द्विजमुपागच्छेद् वर्तमानं स्वकर्मणि । अकुर्वाणं विकर्माणि शान्तं प्रज्ञानतर्पितम्
taṁ ced dvijam upāgacched vartamānaṁ svakarmaṇi | akurvāṇaṁ vikarmāṇi śāntaṁ prajñāna-tarpitam ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Kung lalapit ang isang tao sa isang ‘dalawang-ulit na isinilang’ (dvija) na matatag na gumaganap sa sariling itinakdang tungkulin—hindi gumagawa ng ipinagbabawal, payapa, at ang isip ay busog at pinagyayaman ng karunungan—dapat siyang kilalaning karapat-dapat lapitan at pagkunan ng aral.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person becomes worthy of approach and learning when he is steady in his own prescribed duty (svadharma), avoids prohibited conduct (vikarma), remains tranquil, and is inwardly fulfilled by wisdom rather than by restless desire.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and right conduct. Here he describes the marks of a disciplined ‘dvija’—a model of ethical steadiness and wisdom—implying such a person is fit to be sought out for guidance.