Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 23
Devanagari script
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधो दानमेतच्चतुष्टयम् । अजातकशत्रो सेवस्व धर्म एब सनातन:,अजातशत्रो! अंहिसा, सत्य, अक्रोध और दान--इन चारोंका सदा सेवन करो। यह सनातन धर्म है
Transliteration
ahiṃsā satyam akrodho dānam etac catuṣṭayam | ajātaśatro sevāsva dharma eṣa sanātanaḥ ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“噢，阿阇多沙特鲁，当恒常修持此四者——不害（阿希姆萨）、真实、无嗔、与布施。此即永恒之达摩。”
Word by Word
अहिंसाnon-violence
अहिंसा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
सत्यम्truth
सत्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अक्रोधःabsence of anger
अक्रोधः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअक्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दानम्giving, charity
दानम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदान (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
चतुष्टयम्a set of four, quartet
चतुष्टयम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अजातशत्रोO one whose enemy is not born (O Ajātaśatru)
अजातशत्रो:
TypeNoun
Rootअजातशत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सेवस्वpractice, cultivate (you should practice)
सेवस्व:
TypeVerb
Rootसेव् (धातु)
FormLoṭ (imperative), Ātmanepada, Second, Singular
धर्मःdharma, righteous duty
धर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एवindeed, certainly
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
सनातनःeternal, perennial
सनातनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaA
Ajatashatru (Yudhishthira)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma defines a concise ethical foundation: cultivate non-violence, truth, freedom from anger, and generosity as a constant discipline; these four together are presented as ‘sanātana dharma,’ the perennial standard of righteous living.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma addresses Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira), giving direct guidance on the virtues a righteous ruler and person should continually practice.