Shloka 26

Gautama’s Flight, the Enchanted Grove, and the Arrival of Rājadharma

Nāḍījaṅgha

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधसहस्रं च सत्यं च तुलया धृतम्‌ । अश्वमेधसहस्राद्धि सत्यमेव विशिष्यते

Transliteration

aśvamedhasahasraṃ ca satyaṃ ca tulayā dhṛtam | aśvamedhasahasrād dhi satyam eva viśiṣyate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“若将一千次马祭（Aśvamedha）置于天平一端，将真理置于另一端，则唯有真理之重，胜过一千次马祭。”此偈宣示：道德的正直与守真，超越最宏大的祭仪功德，以伦理之法（dharma）高于礼仪之福。

Word by Word

• अश्वमेधसहस्रम्: a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधसहस्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध-सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

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

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

• तुलया: by/with a balance (scale)
• तुलया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• धृतम्: placed/held (weighed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, Passive (participial)

• अश्वमेधसहस्रात्: than/from a thousand Aśvamedhas
• अश्वमेधसहस्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध-सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

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

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

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशिष्
• Form: Lat (Present), Atmanepada, Third, Singular, Active (Atmanepada form)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• Satya (Truth)
• Tula (balance/scale)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Truthfulness (satya) is presented as a higher form of dharma than even the most prestigious and merit-producing rituals; moral integrity outweighs ceremonial accomplishment.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he uses a vivid comparison—placing a thousand Aśvamedhas and Truth on a scale—to emphasize to the listener that ethical truth is the supreme value.