Shloka 9
Satya–Anṛta Viveka (Discrimination between Truth and Falsehood) | सत्य–अनृत विवेकः
तादृशो<यमनुप्रश्नो यत्र धर्म: सुदुर्लभ: । दुष्कर: प्रतिसंख्यातुं तत् केनात्र व्यवस्यति,युधिष्ठिर! तुम्हारा यह पिछला प्रश्न भी ऐसा ही है। इसके अनुसार धर्मके स्वरूपका विवेचन करना या समझना बहुत कठिन है; इसीलिये उसका प्रतिपादन करना भी दुष्कर ही है; अत: धर्मके विषयमें कोई किस प्रकार निश्चय करे?
tādṛśo ’yam anupraśno yatra dharmaḥ sudurlabhaḥ | duṣkaraḥ pratisaṅkhyātuṃ tat kena atra vyavasyati, yudhiṣṭhira ||
Bhīṣma said: “This follow-up question of yours is of such a kind that it touches a realm where dharma is exceedingly hard to discern. To define it precisely is difficult; therefore, to set it forth with certainty is difficult as well. In such a matter, O Yudhiṣṭhira, by what means can anyone here arrive at a firm decision about dharma?”
भीष्म उवाच