Shloka 18

Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman

Manu’s Instruction

Devanagari script

सदा दान्तो जितक्रोध: सत्यसंधो5नसूयक:

Transliteration

sadā dānto jitakrodhaḥ satyasaṃdho 'nasūyakaḥ | sa sadā mana indriyāṇi ca saṃyamya krodhaṃ jitavān | kṛtāṃ pratijñāṃ satyatayā pālayati sma na ca kasyacid doṣān apaśyat | tasya buddhimataḥ brāhmaṇasya niyame pūrṇe tadā sākṣād bhagavān dharmas tasminn atīva prasannaḥ san pratyakṣaṃ darśanaṃ dadau |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“他恒常自制，已胜忿怒，坚守真实，不以挑剔为心。他不断摄持其心与诸根；已降伏嗔恚。他以不动摇的诚实守护所立之誓，不观他人之过。待那位智者婆罗门的行持圆满之时，法主（Dharma）亲自大为欢喜，赐予他得见真身的直接显现。”

Word by Word

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

• दान्तः: self-controlled, restrained
• दान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितक्रोधः: one who has conquered anger
• जितक्रोधः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितक्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सत्यसन्धः: true to his vow, faithful to truth
• सत्यसन्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अनसूयकः: non-envious, not fault-finding
• अनसूयकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनसूयक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Dharma (personified as Bhagavān Dharma)
• a brāhmaṇa (wise practitioner of niyama)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical excellence is shown through steady self-restraint: mastering anger, keeping mind and senses disciplined, honoring vows truthfully, and refusing to hunt for others’ faults. Such integrity in niyama (disciplined conduct) draws the favor of Dharma itself.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma describes a virtuous brāhmaṇa whose completed observance—marked by restraint, truthfulness, and non-censure—culminates in a direct, personal manifestation (darśana) of Lord Dharma, who is pleased by the practitioner’s conduct.