Shloka 12
लोकथर्मे च धर्मे च विशेषकरणं कृतम् । यथैकत्वं पुनर्यान्ति प्राणिनस्तत्र विस्तर:
lokadharme ca dharme ca viśeṣakaraṇaṃ kṛtam | yathaikatvaṃ punaryānti prāṇinastatra vistaraḥ ||
Bhishma dit : Une distinction a été établie entre le devoir mondain et le devoir sacré. La raison en est la suivante : les êtres vivants, en suivant leurs devoirs respectifs, peuvent de nouveau atteindre l’unité ; les Écritures s’étendent longuement sur ce point.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that the scriptures distinguish between social/customary duties (lokadharma) and sacred/righteous duties (dharma) not to create ultimate separation, but to guide beings through appropriate conduct toward spiritual oneness (ekatva).
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he frames why different duties are prescribed: they function as practical paths suited to people’s roles, ultimately aiming at the same spiritual end.