Shloka 14

यज्ञेऽहिंसा-प्राधान्यम्

Primacy of Non-Harm in Sacrificial Ethics

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच यथा शरीर न ग्लायेन्नेयान्मृत्युवशं यथा । तथा कर्मसु वर्तेत समर्थों धर्ममाचरेत्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | yathā śarīraṃ na glāyet neyān mṛtyuvaśaṃ yathā | tathā karmasu varteta samartho dharmam ācaret ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“由提施提罗啊，当以如是方式履行诸业，使身体不至衰败，不至落入死神之权。因为唯有身体仍具能力与强健之时，人方能真正修行并护持达摩（dharma）。”

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'yathā': 'so that

• in such a manner that', 'śarīram': 'the body', 'na': 'not', 'glāyet': 'should become weak, languish, waste away', 'na iyāt (neyāt)': 'should not go

• should not fall into', 'mṛtyu-vaśam': 'the control/power of death', 'tathā': 'thus

• in that way', 'karmasu': 'in actions

• in duties/works', 'varteta': 'one should conduct oneself

• should act', 'samarthaḥ': 'capable, competent, strong', 'dharmam': 'dharma

• moral law', 'ācaret': 'should practice

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Yudhishthira
• Death (Mṛtyu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is not merely an ideal; it requires practical capacity. Therefore one should act and live in a way that preserves bodily strength and avoids self-destructive extremes, because only a capable person can consistently practice righteous duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on righteous living after the war. Here he emphasizes balanced conduct: perform duties without ruining the body, since physical capability supports sustained observance of dharma.