Shloka 51
Yajña-bhāga-vyavasthā and the Pravṛtti–Nivṛtti Framework (यज्ञभागव्यवस्था तथा प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिधर्मविवेचनम्)
यश्चाधर्मेण विब्रूयाद् यश्चारर्मेण मृच्छति
yaścādharmeṇa vibrūyād yaścārarmēṇa mṛcchati
Bhīṣma said: “One who speaks by means of adharma, and one who meets his end through unrighteous conduct—both are marked by the same moral failure: abandoning dharma in speech and in action.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma must govern both speech and conduct; speaking through unrighteous means and reaching one’s end through unrighteous conduct are presented as parallel moral failures.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma continues his instruction on dharma, emphasizing ethical restraint—here focusing on how adharma expressed in speech and adharma expressed in life’s course lead to blameworthy outcomes.