Shloka 10

Satya–Anṛta Viveka (Discrimination between Truth and Falsehood) | सत्य–अनृत विवेकः

Devanagari script

प्रभवार्थाय भूतानां धर्मप्रवचनं कृतम्‌ । यः स्यात्‌ प्रभवसंयुक्त: स धर्म इति निश्चय:

Transliteration

prabhavārthāya bhūtānāṃ dharmapravacanaṃ kṛtam | yaḥ syāt prabhavasaṃyuktaḥ sa dharma iti niścayaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说：达摩之教被宣说出来，是为了众生的兴盛与安乐。因此，凡与此宗旨相应者——真正能成就世间福祉与最高善者——即是达摩；这是通晓诸论典（śāstra）之人的定论。

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'prabhava', 'definition': 'arising, growth, flourishing

• here: welfare/advancement (abhyudaya)'}, {'term': 'arthāya', 'definition': 'for the sake of, for the purpose of'}, {'term': 'bhūtānām', 'definition': 'of beings, of living creatures'}, {'term': 'dharma', 'definition': 'righteous order, duty, ethical law

• that which sustains and benefits'}, {'term': 'pravacanam', 'definition': 'teaching, exposition, authoritative instruction'}, {'term': 'kṛtam', 'definition': 'has been done/made

• has been promulgated'}, {'term': 'yaḥ syāt', 'definition': 'whatever may be

• that which is'}, {'term': 'saṃyuktaḥ', 'definition': 'joined with, connected to, endowed with'}, {'term': 'niścayaḥ', 'definition': 'certainty, settled conclusion, determination'}]

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is defined by its purpose: it is that teaching and practice which promotes the flourishing and well-being of living beings and also leads toward the highest good (niḥśreyasa).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is explaining to Yudhiṣṭhira how to recognize true dharma, grounding it in the aim of benefiting beings rather than in mere custom or label.