Shloka 11
अविश्वास-निति: ब्रह्मदत्त–पूजनी-संवादः
Policy of Caution: The Brahmadatta–Pūjanī Dialogue
यथा हाकस्माद् भवति भूमौ पांसुर्विलोलित: । तथैवेह भवेद् धर्म: सूक्ष्म: सूक्ष्मतरस्तथा
yathā hākasmād bhavati bhūmau pāṁsur vilolitaḥ | tathaiveha bhaved dharmaḥ sūkṣmaḥ sūkṣmataras tathā ||
Bhishma dit : «De même que la poussière de la terre, lorsqu’on la ramasse soudain et qu’on la broie sur une pierre, devient de plus en plus fine, ainsi, dans ce monde, le dharma, lorsqu’on l’examine et qu’on y réfléchit, se comprend comme subtil—et toujours plus subtil.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is inherently subtle; as one analyzes situations more carefully, ethical judgment often becomes finer and more nuanced rather than straightforward.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma is teaching about dharma’s nature, using an everyday analogy (dust becoming finer when ground) to explain why moral decisions require careful reflection.