Shloka 91

मानसतीर्थ-शौचप्रशंसा | Praise of the ‘Mental Tīrtha’ and the Marks of Purity

Devanagari script

सदा द्वादशमासांस्तु सत्यवादी धृतव्रत: । अमांसाशी ब्रह्मचारी सर्वभूतहिते रत:

Transliteration

sadā dvādaśa-māsāṁs tu satyavādī dhṛta-vrataḥ | amāṁsāśī brahmacārī sarva-bhūta-hite rataḥ ||

Translation

بھیشم نے کہا—وہ پورے بارہ مہینے ہمیشہ سچ بولنے والا اور اپنے ورت میں ثابت قدم رہتا ہے؛ گوشت سے پرہیز کرتا ہے، برہمچریہ اختیار کرتا ہے اور تمام جانداروں کی بھلائی میں مشغول رہتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश
• Form: Gender: masculine; Case: accusative; Number: plural

• मासान्: months
• मासान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास
• Form: Gender: masculine; Case: accusative; Number: plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• सत्यवादी: truth-speaking
• सत्यवादी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यवादिन्
• Form: Gender: masculine; Case: nominative; Number: singular

• धृतव्रतः: firm in vows (having undertaken vows)
• धृतव्रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृतव्रत
• Form: Gender: masculine; Case: nominative; Number: singular

• अमांसाशी: non-meat-eating
• अमांसाशी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमांसाशिन्
• Form: Gender: masculine; Case: nominative; Number: singular

• ब्रह्मचारी: celibate; one observing brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन्
• Form: Gender: masculine; Case: nominative; Number: singular

• सर्वभूतहिते: in the welfare of all beings
• सर्वभूतहिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूतहित
• Form: Gender: neuter; Case: locative; Number: singular

• रतः: engaged; devoted
• रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Gender: masculine; Case: nominative; Number: singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises a dharmic regimen of sustained self-restraint: truthfulness, unwavering commitment to vows, abstention from meat, celibate discipline, and active concern for the welfare of all beings—presented as a coherent ethical ideal rather than isolated virtues.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and right conduct. Here he describes the qualities and year-long disciplined practice of an exemplary person/observer of vows, emphasizing moral integrity and universal benevolence.