Shloka 23
Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Reconciliation and Partition (भीष्मोपदेशः—संधि-राज्यविभागविचारः)
ततो द्वैपायनस्तस्मै नरेन्द्राय महात्मने । आचख्यौ तद् यथा धर्मो बहूनामेकपत्निता
tato dvaipāyanas tasmai narendrāya mahātmane | ācakhyau tad yathā dharmo bahūnām ekapatnitā ||
Entonces Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) explicó a aquel rey magnánimo cómo se sostiene el dharma en este asunto: que, para muchos hombres, tener una sola esposa (esto es, la monogamia) se considera la conducta correcta y sancionada.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vyāsa frames marital conduct in terms of dharma, stating that the accepted norm for many men is ekapatnitā—having one wife—presented as ethically sanctioned behavior.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Vyāsa addresses a king and explains the dharmic principle relevant to the situation, specifically the rule concerning one-wife marriage.