Shloka 56
तस्मादपचित: पार्थ लोके हास्यं गमिष्यसि । स्वथर्माद्धि मनुष्याणां चलन न प्रशस्यते,'पार्थ! उस धर्मसे हीन होनेपर तो संसारमें आप उपहासके पात्र हो जायँगे। मनुष्योंका अपने धर्मसे भ्रष्ट होना कुछ प्रशंसाकी बात नहीं है
tasmād apacitaḥ pārtha loke hāsyaṃ gamiṣyasi | svadharmād dhi manuṣyāṇāṃ calanaṃ na praśasyate ||
Therefore, O Pārtha, if you fall away from your proper duty, you will become an object of ridicule in the world. Indeed, for human beings, wavering and straying from one’s own dharma is not considered praiseworthy.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses steadfastness in svadharma: abandoning one’s rightful duty leads to loss of honor and public contempt, and such moral wavering is not ethically commendable.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events, conveys a warning addressed to Pārtha (Arjuna): if he deviates from his proper conduct and duty, society will mock him; the narrative underscores the Mahābhārata’s recurring concern with maintaining dharma under pressure.