Shloka 3
तदा त्वस्य भवेद् बुद्धिर्धर्मार्थस्य प्रदर्शनात् । तदाश्वसीत धर्मात्मा दृढबुद्धिर्न विश्वसेत्
tadā tv asya bhaved buddhir dharmārthasya pradarśanāt | tadāśvasīt dharmātmā dṛḍhabuddhir na viśvaset |
Bhishma said: “When a person is shown the true purpose and fruit of dharma, then his understanding awakens to dharma’s value. Then the righteous-minded one gains reassurance and his trust in dharma increases; only then does his mind settle in dharma. Until one’s discernment becomes firm, no one truly places trust in dharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Faith in dharma is not blind; it becomes stable when one understands dharma’s artha—its purpose and results. Demonstrated benefit leads to firm discernment (dṛḍhabuddhi), which in turn produces trust and sustained commitment to righteous conduct.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instructional setting, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he explains how conviction in dharma arises: by being shown dharma’s meaning and fruits, a person becomes reassured and develops steady trust and inclination toward dharma.