Shloka 6
Daṇḍa, Ahiṃsā, and Proportional Kingship: The Dyumatsena–Satyavān Dialogue (दण्ड-अहिंसा-विवेकः)
आपके कथनानुसार सत्पुरुषोंका आचरण धर्म माना गया है और जिनमें धर्माचरण लक्षित होता है, वे ही सत्पुरुष हैं। ऐसी दशामें अन्योन्याश्रय दोष पड़नेके कारण साध्य और असाध्यका विवेक कैसे हो सकता है? ऐसी दशामें सदाचार धर्मका लक्षण नहीं हो सकता |। दृश्यते हि धर्मरूपेणाधर्म प्राकृतश्चरन् । धर्म चाधर्मरूपेण कश्चिदप्राकृतश्चरन्,इस लोकमें देखा जाता है कि कितने ही प्राकृत मनुष्य धर्म-से दिखायी देनेवाले अधर्मका आचरण करते हैं और कितने ही अप्राकृत (शिष्ट) पुरुष अधर्म प्रतीत होनेवाले धर्मका अनुष्ठान करते हैं (अत: केवल आचारसे धर्माधर्मका निर्णय नहीं हो सकता)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | āpake kathanānusāra satpuruṣāṇāṃ ācaraṇaṃ dharmaḥ manyate, yeṣu ca dharmācaraṇaṃ lakṣyate te eva satpuruṣāḥ | evaṃ sati anyonyāśraya-doṣa-prasaṅgāt sādhya-asādhya-vivekaḥ kathaṃ syāt? evaṃ sati sadācāro dharmasya lakṣaṇaṃ na bhavitum arhati | dṛśyate hi dharma-rūpeṇā-dharmaḥ prākṛtaś caran | dharmaṃ cā-dharma-rūpeṇa kaścid aprākṛtaś caran ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “According to your statement, the conduct of the good is taken to be Dharma, and those in whom the practice of Dharma is seen are called the good. But if this is so, a circular dependence arises—how then can one discern what is truly to be pursued and what is not? In that case, ‘good conduct’ cannot by itself be the defining mark of Dharma. For in this world it is indeed observed that many ordinary people perform Adharma while it appears in the guise of Dharma, and some refined, disciplined persons carry out Dharma even when it seems to be Adharma. Therefore, mere outward conduct cannot be the sole basis for judging Dharma and Adharma.”
युधिछिर उवाच