Shloka 21

Varṇasaṃkara: Causes, Classifications, and Conduct-based Recognition (वर्णसंकरः—हेतु-जाति-आचारनिर्णयः)

Devanagari script

यद्यप्याचरित: कैश्रिन्नैष धर्म: सनातन: । अन्येषामपि दृश्यन्ते लोकत: सम्प्रवृत्तय:,यद्यपि कुछ पुरुषोंने ऐसा आचरण किया है; परंतु यह सनातन धर्म नहीं है। दूसरे लोगोंमें भी लोकाचारवश बहुत-सी प्रवृत्तियाँ देखी जाती हैं

Transliteration

yady apy ācaritaḥ kaiścin naiṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | anyeṣām api dṛśyante lokataḥ sampravṛttayaḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma said: Even if certain people have practiced such conduct, it is not the eternal law of dharma. Among others too, many patterns of behavior are seen arising merely from worldly custom and social convention.

Word by Word

यद्यपिalthough

आचरितःpractised / performed

कैःby whom / by some (persons)

चित्indeed / some / any (emphatic-indefinite)

नnot

एषःthis

धर्मःdharma / righteous law

सनातनःeternal / ancient

अन्येषाम्of others

अपिalso / even

दृश्यन्तेare seen / are observed

लोकतःfrom the world / due to common practice

सम्प्रवृत्तयःpractices / tendencies / courses of conduct

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma distinguishes true, enduring dharma from mere imitation of what some people do. Socially prevalent behavior (lokācāra) can exist widely, yet it does not automatically become 'sanātana dharma'; ethical judgment must look beyond custom to principled righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he cautions the listener not to justify an action simply because it has precedent or is commonly observed. He frames certain behaviors as products of worldly convention rather than authoritative moral law.