Shloka 18
ऋत्विग्धर्मः, दक्षिणा-न्यायः, तपसः परमार्थः
Ritvij-Dharma, the Norm of Dakṣiṇā, and the Higher Meaning of Tapas
Devanagari script
अहिंसा सत्यवचनमानृशंस्यं दमो घृणा । एतत् तपो विदुर्धीरा न शरीरस्य शोषणम्
Transliteration
ahiṃsā satyavacanam ānṛśaṃsyaṃ damo ghṛṇā | etat tapo vidur dhīrā na śarīrasya śoṣaṇam ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“不害（阿希姆萨），说真实语，远离残酷，调御其心与诸根，并以慈悲观照一切众生——智者以此为真正的苦行。仅仅使身体消瘦、折磨肉身，并非苦行。”
Word by Word
अहिंसाnon-violence
अहिंसा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
सत्यवचनम्truthful speech
सत्यवचनम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसत्यवचन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अनृशंस्यम्non-cruelty, compassion
अनृशंस्यम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअनृशंस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
दमःself-control (restraint of senses/mind)
दमः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
घृणाcompassion, tenderness (non-hatred)
घृणा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootघृणा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
एतत्this (set of virtues)
एतत्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तपःausterity, tapas
तपः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
विदुःknow, consider
विदुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परिपूर्ण/परफेक्ट; here with present sense), प्रथम, बहुवचन
धीराःthe wise, steadfast men
धीराः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (निपात)
शरीरस्यof the body
शरीरस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootशरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
शोषणम्drying up, emaciation (mortification)
शोषणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशोषण (प्रातिपदिक; from धातु शुष्/शोष्)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
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
True tapas is ethical and inward discipline—non-violence, truthfulness, kindness, self-restraint, and compassion—rather than merely punishing or starving the body.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira by redefining austerity as moral conduct and controlled living, not external bodily mortification.