Shloka 14

त्रिवर्गविचारः

Tri-varga Deliberation: Dharma, Artha, Kāma

Devanagari script

आश्रमेषु चतुर्ष्वाहुर्दममेवोत्तमं व्रतम्‌ । तस्य लिड्डानि वक्ष्यामि येषां समुदयों दम:

Transliteration

āśrameṣu caturṣv āhur damaṃ evottamaṃ vratam | tasya liṅgāni vakṣyāmi yeṣāṃ samudayo damaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“在四种人生住期（四住期，āśrama）之中，智者皆宣称唯有自制才是最上之誓。如今我将说明其殊胜之相——那些征象一旦生起并恒常安住，便是真正所谓‘达摩（dama）’，即对诸根与其心的严正统御。”

Word by Word

• आश्रमेषु: in the āśramas (stages of life)
• आश्रमेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

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

• चतुर्षु: in (all) four
• चतुर्षु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• आहुः: they have said / call
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• दमम्: self-control
• दमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed / alone
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• उत्तमम्: best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्रतम्: vow / observance
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of that (self-control)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• लिङ्गानि: marks / characteristics
• लिङ्गानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• वक्ष्यामि: I shall tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Simple Future, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• येषाम्: of which / whose
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• समुदयः: arising / occurrence
• समुदयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुदय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दमः: self-control
• दमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That self-restraint (dama)—mastery over the senses and mind—is the supreme vow applicable across all four āśramas, and it is recognized by specific observable traits that Bhīṣma is about to enumerate.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues his ethical discourse and introduces a focused teaching: he elevates dama as the highest discipline for every stage of life and prepares to list the signs by which genuine self-restraint is known.