Shloka 10

चिरकारि-उपाख्यानम् / The Exemplum of Cirakārī: Deliberation Before Irreversible Action

Devanagari script

सत्यस्य वचन साधु न सत्याद्‌ विद्यते परम्‌ सत्येन विधुृतं सर्व सर्व सत्ये प्रतेछ्ठितम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | satyasya vacanaṃ sādhu na satyād vidyate param | satyena vidhṛtaṃ sarvaṃ sarvaṃ satye pratiṣṭhitam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma nói: Nói lời chân thật là một thiện hạnh cao quý; không gì cao hơn chân lý. Nhờ chân lý mà muôn vật được nâng đỡ, và trong chân lý mà mọi sự có nền tảng vững bền. Trong lời dạy về dharma này, Bhīṣma nêu rõ: sự chân thật không chỉ là đức hạnh của cá nhân, mà còn là nguyên lý nâng đỡ trật tự đạo đức của thế gian.

Word by Word

• सत्यस्य: of truth
• सत्यस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वचनम्: speech; utterance
• वचनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• साधु: good; virtuous
• साधु: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सत्यात्: than truth; from truth
• सत्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• विद्यते: exists; is found
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (विद्/विद्-धातु) + यक् (विद्यते)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• परम्: higher; superior
• परम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्येन: by truth; through truth
• सत्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• विधृतम्: held up; sustained
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धृ (धृ) (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• सर्वम्: all; everything
• सर्वम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all; everything
• सर्वम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्ये: in truth
• सत्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: established; founded
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + स्था (स्था) (क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truthfulness (satya) is presented as the supreme dharmic value: speaking truth is virtuous, nothing surpasses truth, and truth is the sustaining foundation upon which all things stand.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is advising the listener (Yudhishthira in the broader dialogue) by emphasizing satya as a central pillar of righteous conduct and the stability of the world’s moral order.