Shloka 22
सभा पर्व, अध्याय ३७ — युधिष्ठिरस्य भीष्मोपदेशः
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Consultation and Bhīṣma’s Counsel in the Assembly
अकस्माद् धर्मपुत्रस्य धर्मात्मेति यशो गतम् | को हि धर्मच्युते पूजामेवं युक्तां नियोजयेत्
akasmād dharmaputrasya dharmātmeti yaśo gatam | ko hi dharmac yute pūjām evaṁ yuktāṁ niyojayet ||
Śiśupāla sagte: „Ganz plötzlich hat der Sohn des Dharma den Ruf erlangt, ‚rechtschaffen an Seele‘ zu sein. Denn andernfalls: Welcher wahrhaft dharmatreue Mann würde einem vom Dharma Abgefallenen eine derart ‚angemessene‘ Verehrung und Ehrung anordnen?“
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how public reputation (yaśas) for righteousness can be contested and rhetorically manipulated: Śiśupāla questions whether honor and ritual reverence are truly deserved, implying that dharma must be judged by conduct, not by sudden acclaim.
During the royal assembly context, Śiśupāla attacks Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmaputra) with sarcasm, challenging the propriety of the honors being arranged and casting doubt on the moral legitimacy behind the ceremonial worship.