Mahabharata — Ashramavasika Parva, Shloka 24
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सर्व बलवतां पथ्यं सर्व बलवतां शुचि । सर्व बलवतां धर्म: सर्व बलवतां स्वकम्
sarva-balatāṁ pathyaṁ sarva-balatāṁ śuci | sarva-balatāṁ dharmaḥ sarva-balatāṁ svakam ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Für die Mächtigen gilt alles als ‘heilsam’ und vorteilhaft; für die Mächtigen wird jede Tat als rein behandelt. Für die Mächtigen heißt alles ‘Dharma’, und für die Mächtigen gelten alle Dinge als ihr Eigen.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse criticizes the tendency of society to let power override moral standards: what the strong do is conveniently labeled beneficial, pure, righteous, and even rightful possession—revealing how dharma can be distorted by dominance.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration within the Āśramavāsika context, this statement functions as a reflective, ethical observation—highlighting how, in the aftermath of great conflict and political power, judgments about right and wrong often become biased toward the powerful.
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