Shloka 12
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 104 — कर्णोत्पत्ति, दानधर्म, वैकर्तन-नामकरण
Karna’s Birth, Gift-Ethic, and the Name Vaikartana
वैशम्पायन उवाच तथोच्यमानो मात्रा स सुहृद्धिश्व॒ परंतप: । इत्युवाचाथ धर्मात्मा धर्म्यमेवोत्तरं वच:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं-जनमेजय! माता और सुहृदोंके ऐसा कहनेपर शत्रुदमन धर्मात्मा भीष्मने यह धर्मानुकूल उत्तर दिया--
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tathocyamāno mātrā sa suhṛdbhiś ca parantapaḥ | ity uvācātha dharmātmā dharmyam evottaraṃ vacaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: So von seiner Mutter und von seinen Wohlgesinnten angesprochen, erwiderte der Bezwinger der Feinde (Bhīṣma), fest in der Rechtschaffenheit—mit einer Antwort, die ganz dem Dharma entsprach.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma as the standard for response: even when urged by close relations and friends, a noble person answers in a way consistent with righteousness rather than impulse or mere affection.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration to King Janamejaya, Bhīṣma—having been addressed by his mother and well-wishers—prepares to give his reply, characterized explicitly as dharmic.