Shloka 6
Devanagari script
ततः स धर्म वेदोक्त तथा शास्त्रोक्तमेव च । शिष्टाचीर्ण च धर्म च त्रिविधं चिन्त्य चेतसा
Transliteration
tataḥ sa dharma vedoktaḥ tathā śāstrokta eva ca | śiṣṭācīrṇaś ca dharmaś ca trividhaṁ cintya cetasā ||
Translation
于是，应以安定之心思惟达摩有三：一为《吠陀》所教之法，二为诸《论典》（śāstra）所立之法，三为有教养而堪为楷模之士（śiṣṭa）所行之法。
Word by Word
ततःthen/thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
सःhe/that (person)
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्मम्dharma/duty/law
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वेदोक्तम्enjoined in the Veda
वेदोक्तम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootवेदोक्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तथाand likewise/also
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
शास्त्रोक्तम्enjoined in the śāstra
शास्त्रोक्तम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootशास्त्रोक्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
शिष्टाचीर्णम्practised by the learned/virtuous
शिष्टाचीर्णम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootशिष्टाचीर्ण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
धर्मम्dharma
धर्मम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
त्रिविधम्threefold/of three kinds
त्रिविधम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रिविध
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
चिन्त्यto be considered/reflected upon
चिन्त्य:
TypeVerb
Rootचिन्त्
FormGerundive (तव्यत्/यत्-type), indeclinable in sense here, Passive (obligative sense)
चेतसाwith the mind
चेतसा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootचेतस्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that dharma should be understood through three complementary authorities: Vedic revelation (vedokta), śāstric formulation (śāstrokta), and the lived practice of exemplary people (śiṣṭācāra). Ethical judgment should weigh all three.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Bhīṣma continues advising on how to discern dharma, directing the listener to contemplate its three recognized sources rather than relying on a single criterion.