Shloka 9

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

आचारलक्षणो धर्म: संतश्षारित्रलक्षणा: । साधूनां च यथावृत्तमेतदाचारलक्षणम्‌

Transliteration

Bhīṣma uvāca: ācāra-lakṣaṇo dharmaḥ, santaś cāritra-lakṣaṇāḥ | sādhūnāṃ ca yathā-vṛttam etad ācāra-lakṣaṇam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“法（dharma）以正行（ācāra）为其标识。贤德之人以善良品性而为人所知。凡善人、持戒者在生活中真实践行之事——那活出来的行为，正是所谓‘正当行持’，亦即法之印记。”

Word by Word

• आचारलक्षणः: having conduct as its mark
• आचारलक्षणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आचार-लक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मः: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सन्तः: good people, the virtuous
• सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चारित्रलक्षणाः: having good character as their mark
• चारित्रलक्षणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारित्र-लक्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• साधूनाम्: of the good (people)
• साधूनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• यथा-वृत्तम्: as it is practiced/behaved
• यथा-वृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा-वृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आचारलक्षणम्: the mark/definition of right conduct
• आचारलक्षणम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार-लक्षण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is not merely a theory or rulebook; it is identified through ācāra—lived, disciplined right conduct. The reliable indicator of what is righteous is the consistent behavior and character of truly virtuous people.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is teaching Yudhiṣṭhira by defining dharma through observable standards: the conduct and character of the saintly and well-disciplined.