Shloka 4
यद् भूतहितमत्यन्तं तत् सत्यमिति धारणा । विपर्ययकृतो<धर्म: पश्य धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मताम्,जिससे परिणाममें प्राणियोंका अत्यन्त हित होता हो, वह वास्तवमें सत्य है। इसके विपरीत जिससे किसीका अहित होता हो या दूसरोंके प्राण जाते हों, वह देखनेमें सत्य होनेपर भी वास्तवमें असत्य एवं अधर्म है-। इस प्रकार विचार करके देखिये, धर्मकी गति कितनी सूक्ष्म है
yad bhūtahitam atyantaṁ tat satyam iti dhāraṇā | viparyayakṛto 'dharmaḥ paśya dharmasya sūkṣmatām |
“That which brings the greatest welfare to living beings—this is what should be held to be ‘truth’. But when the opposite is done—when harm is caused or lives are lost—then even something that appears factually true becomes, in reality, untruth and adharma. Reflect on this and see how subtle the course of dharma truly is.”
व्याध उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truth is not merely factual speech; it is that which promotes the highest welfare of beings. If a statement or act, though ‘true’ in appearance, results in harm or loss of life, it becomes ethically untrue and adharma. Dharma requires subtle discernment rather than rigid literalism.
The Vyādha (hunter) instructs his interlocutor on the nuanced nature of dharma, redefining ‘satya’ through the lens of universal welfare (bhūta-hita) and warning that actions contrary to welfare—even if outwardly aligned with truth—can constitute adharma.