Shloka 117

Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154

Devanagari script

पश्य दैवस्य संयोगं बान्धवानां च निश्चयम्‌

Transliteration

paśya daivasya saṃyogaṃ bāndhavānāṃ ca niścayam

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: “Hãy nhìn sự hội tụ do định mệnh sắp đặt, và cả ý chí kiên định của những người thân tộc. Nhờ sự kết hợp ấy, nước mắt của những người đang khóc trong cảnh bất lực đã được lau khô chỉ trong thời gian ngắn. Sự giải khổ này là quả của việc truy cầu có quyết tâm và nỗ lực bền bỉ của họ.”

Word by Word

• पश्य: see; behold
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: Loṭ (imperative), 2, singular, Parasmaipada

• दैवस्य: of fate; of the divine (dispensation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव
• Form: neuter, genitive, singular

• संयोगम्: conjunction; occurrence; combination
• संयोगम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयोग
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• बान्धवानाम्: of kinsmen; of relatives
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• निश्चयम्: resolve; determination
• निश्चयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Relief and success arise from a twofold cause: the mysterious convergence of destiny (daiva-saṃyoga) and the steadfast determination (niścaya) of one’s own people. The verse highlights an ethical balance—do not rely on fate alone; sustained inquiry and effort are indispensable, and when they align with providential conditions, suffering is quickly alleviated.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma points to a situation where people were grieving and shedding tears in helplessness, but their sorrow was soon removed. He attributes this change to the combined effect of providence and the resolute, purposeful actions of their kinsmen—specifically, their deliberate investigation and exertion that produced a tangible result.