Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

तादृशो बध्यते बालो यत्र सत्यमनिष्ठितम्‌ सत्यानते विनिश्चित्य ततो भवति धर्मवित्‌

Transliteration

tādṛśo badhyate bālo yatra satyam aniṣṭhitam | satyānṛte viniścitya tato bhavati dharmavit ||

Translation

“在真理未能牢固确立之处，愚人便走向毁灭。能审慎判别真实与虚妄，而后依真实而行者，方可称为通达达摩之人。”

Word by Word

• तादृशः: such (a one)
• तादृशः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बध्यते: is bound / is punished
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

• बालः: a fool / childish person
• बालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अनिष्ठितम्: not established / not firmly set
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्ठित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• सत्य: truth
• सत्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अनृते: in untruth / in falsehood
• अनृते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विनिश्चित्य: having ascertained / having decided
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + चि
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral

• ततः: thereupon / then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• भवति: becomes / is
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धर्मवित्: knower of dharma
• धर्मवित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma requires discernment: one must judge truth versus falsehood and then steadfastly follow truth; lacking a foundation in truth leads to ruin for the undiscerning.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira, emphasizing truth as the stabilizing basis of righteous life and warning of the consequences when truth is not upheld.