Shloka 61
एक एव चरेद् धर्म न धर्मध्वजिको भवेत् | धर्मवाणिजका होते ये धर्ममुपभुज्जते
eka eva cared dharmaṁ na dharmadhvajiko bhavet | dharmavāṇijakā hote ye dharmam upabhuñjate ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Qu’un homme pratique le dharma, fût-ce seul ; qu’il ne devienne pas de ceux qui brandissent la vertu comme un étendard. Ceux qui font du dharma un moyen de subsistance—qui “consomment” le dharma pour le profit—ne sont que des marchands de droiture.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma is inward integrity and consistent conduct, not public display. One should practice righteousness even without social support, and avoid using dharma as a tool for status, profit, or livelihood.
In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on ethical living and right conduct. Here he warns against performative religiosity (dharmadhvaja) and condemns those who commercialize dharma (dharmavāṇijaka).