Shloka 31

एकान्तिधर्म-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into Ekāntin Dharma) / The Origin and Practice of Single-Pointed Nārāyaṇa-Centered Discipline

Devanagari script

एकाग्रमनसो दान्‍्ता मुनय: संयमे रता: । भूतभव्यभविष्यज्ञा: सत्यधर्मपरायणा:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | ekāgramanaso dāntā munayaḥ saṃyame ratāḥ | bhūtabhavyabhaviṣyajñāḥ satyadharmaparāyaṇāḥ |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“那些圣仙心念专一，自我克制，乐于戒制之行。他们知晓已然、当下与将来，并始终坚定奉持真实与法（dharma）。”

Word by Word

• एकाग्र-मनसः: of one-pointed mind, concentrated
• एकाग्र-मनसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकाग्र-मनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दान्ताः: self-controlled, tamed
• दान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संयमे: in restraint, in self-discipline
• संयमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• रताः: engaged, devoted
• रताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भूत-भव्य-भविष्य-ज्ञाः: knowers of past, present, and future
• भूत-भव्य-भविष्य-ज्ञाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत-भव्य-भविष्य-ज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सत्य-धर्म-परायणाः: wholly devoted to truth and dharma
• सत्य-धर्म-परायणाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य-धर्म-परायण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Munis (sages)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Ethical authority rests on inner discipline: true sages are defined by concentration, mastery of the senses, commitment to restraint, and unwavering dedication to truth and dharma—qualities that make their insight reliable.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and higher principles; here he characterizes the sages (munis) by their ascetic virtues and their comprehensive knowledge of time (past, present, future).