Shloka 25
चिरकारि-उपाख्यानम् / The Exemplum of Cirakārī: Deliberation Before Irreversible Action
सर्व प्रियाभ्युपगतं धर्ममाहुर्मनीषिण: । पश्यैतं लक्षणोद्देशं धर्माधर्मे युधिछ्ठिर,युधिष्ठिर! सबके साथ प्रेमपूर्ण बर्ताव करनेसे जो कुछ प्राप्त होता है, वह सब धर्म है, ऐसा मनीषी पुरुषोंका कथन है तथा जो इसके विपरीत है, वह अधर्म है। तुम धर्म और अधर्मका संक्षेपसे यही लक्षण समझो
sarva-priyābhyupagataṁ dharmam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ | paśyaitaṁ lakṣaṇoddeśaṁ dharmādharmayoḥ yudhiṣṭhira ||
Bhīṣma said: The wise declare that dharma is whatever is grounded in goodwill and loving regard toward all. Behold, O Yudhiṣṭhira—this is the concise mark by which dharma and adharma are to be distinguished: what accords with universal benevolence is dharma; what runs contrary to it is adharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is identified by universal benevolence: conduct that is affectionate, considerate, and beneficial toward all is dharma; its opposite is adharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira how to recognize dharma succinctly, offering a practical criterion for ethical judgment after the war.