Shloka 6

यज्ञेऽहिंसा-प्राधान्यम्

Primacy of Non-Harm in Sacrificial Ethics

Devanagari script

तस्मात्‌ प्रमाणत: कार्यों धर्म: सूक्ष्मो विजानता । अहिंसा सर्वभूते भ्यो धर्मेभ्यो ज्यायसी मता

Transliteration

tasmāt pramāṇataḥ kāryo dharmaḥ sūkṣmo vijānatā | ahiṁsā sarvabhūtebhyo dharmebhyo jyāyasī matā ||

Translation

因此，通达微妙之理的明智之人，应依凭量（pramāṇa，权威之证，尤以吠陀之证言为要）来裁定法（dharma）的精微本性。在一切为诸有情所制定的诸法之中，不害被认为最为崇高。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्
• Form: Ablative (पञ्चमी), singular (एकवचन), masculine/neuter (contextual)

• प्रमाणतः: on the basis of authority/proof
• प्रमाणतः: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रमाण
• Form: Ablative in adverbial use (तसिल्-प्रत्यय), indeclinable

• कार्यः: to be done; should be made/undertaken
• कार्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य
• Form: Masculine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)

• धर्मः: dharma; duty/righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)

• सूक्ष्मः: subtle
• सूक्ष्मः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म
• Form: Masculine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)

• विजानता: by one who knows/understands
• विजानता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), masculine instrumental (तृतीया), singular (एकवचन)

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा
• Form: Feminine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)

• सर्वभूतेभ्यः: to/for all beings
• सर्वभूतेभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत
• Form: Neuter, dative/ablative (चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी), plural (बहुवचन)

• धर्मेभ्यः: than (other) dharmas/duties
• धर्मेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म
• Form: Masculine, ablative (पञ्चमी), plural (बहुवचन)

• ज्यायसी: greater; superior
• ज्यायसी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्यायस्
• Form: Feminine, nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन); comparative degree

• मता: is considered; is held to be
• मता: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), feminine nominative (प्रथमा), singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma can be subtle and must be discerned through valid authority (pramāṇa), and among all duties relating to living beings, ahiṁsā (non-violence) is regarded as the highest.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira, emphasizing careful determination of dharma through authoritative sources and elevating non-violence as the supreme ethical principle.