Shloka 18

श्रेयो-धर्मकर्मविचारः

Inquiry into Śreyas, Dharma, and Karma

Devanagari script

यथावत्‌ सम्प्रवर्तन्ते यस्मिंस्तिष्ठन्ति वा विभो । तत्‌ ते<नुपूर्व्या व्याख्यास्थे तदिहैकमना: शृणु

Transliteration

yathāvat sampravartante yasmiṁs tiṣṭhanti vā vibho | tat te'nupūrvyā vyākhyāsthe tad ihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“强者啊，我将依次为你阐明：众生如何如法发动于行，因何缘故而安住于行，又在何等境况中从行中退离。你当在此一心谛听。”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'yathāvat', 'definition': 'properly

• in the correct manner'}, {'term': 'sampravartante', 'definition': 'they set forth

• they commence activity'}, {'term': 'yasmin', 'definition': 'in/for which

• the cause or ground'}, {'term': 'tiṣṭhanti', 'definition': 'they stand

• stay established'}, {'term': 'vā', 'definition': 'or

• and/or'}, {'term': 'vibho', 'definition': 'O powerful one

• O lord (vocative of vibhu)'}, {'term': 'tat', 'definition': 'that

• those matters'}, {'term': 'te', 'definition': 'to you

• for you'}, {'term': 'anupūrvyā', 'definition': 'in proper sequence

• in order'}, {'term': 'vyākhyāsthe (vyākhyāsye)', 'definition': 'I shall explain

• I will expound'}, {'term': 'iha', 'definition': 'here

• in this context/teaching'}, {'term': 'ekamanāḥ', 'definition': 'single-minded

• with one-pointed attention'}, {'term': 'śṛṇu', 'definition': 'listen (imperative)'}]

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• vibhu (addressed lord/mighty one)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma frames a systematic ethical inquiry into action: how one rightly enters into karma, what sustains one’s engagement, and under what conditions one should withdraw—emphasizing ordered instruction and attentive listening.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Bhīṣma continues instructing his listener (addressed as “vibhu”), announcing that he will explain the topic step by step and urging focused attention before proceeding with the detailed exposition.