Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

च्युत: सदैव धर्मेभ्योडमानवं धर्ममास्थित:

Transliteration

cyutaḥ sadaiva dharmebhyo dānavam dharmam āsthitaḥ | dhanam ityeva pāpānāṃ sarveṣām iha niścayaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“凡已背离正法、恒常舍弃正当职责而转趋阿修罗般行径者——此等罪人于世间所固守的定见唯有一端：‘财富，唯有财富。’”

Word by Word

• च्युतः: fallen, deviated
• च्युतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्युत (√च्यु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• धर्मेभ्यः: from (all) dharmas / duties
• धर्मेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• उदमानवम्: one who is not truly human / inhuman-minded
• उदमानवम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदमानव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteous conduct
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having resorted to / adhering to
• आस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस्थित (√स्था with आ-)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एव: alone, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• पापानाम्: of sinners / of the wicked
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• इह: here (in this world / in this matter)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• निश्चयः: conviction, fixed idea
• निश्चयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When a person abandons dharma and adopts an asuric disposition, their thinking collapses into a single aim—acquiring wealth—so ethical restraints no longer guide their actions.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct and governance, Bhishma characterizes the mindset of the wicked: they depart from dharma and become driven solely by the pursuit of wealth.