Shloka 20
Prāyaścitta-vidhāna: Tapas, Dāna, Vrata, and Proportional Expiation (प्रायश्चित्तविधानम्)
दश वा वेदशास्त्रज्ञास्त्रयो वा धर्मपाठका: । यद् ब्रूयु: कार्य उत्पन्ने स धर्मो धर्मसंशये
daśa vā vedaśāstrajñās trayo vā dharmapāṭhakāḥ | yad brūyuḥ kārya utpanne sa dharmo dharmasaṃśaye ||
व्यास ने कहा—जब कोई व्यवहारिक प्रसंग उपस्थित हो और धर्म के निर्णय में संदेह हो, विशेषतः प्रायश्चित्त के विषय में, तब वेद-शास्त्र के ज्ञाता दस ब्राह्मण अथवा निरंतर धर्म का अध्ययन-विचार करने वाले तीन ब्राह्मण विचार करके जो कहें, वही धर्म मानना चाहिए।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
When dharma is uncertain in a real-life situation—especially regarding expiation—one should rely on a qualified collective judgment: either ten experts in Veda and śāstra, or three dedicated specialists in dharma-study. Their considered verdict is to be treated as dharma for that case.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Vyāsa lays down a practical rule for resolving moral-legal ambiguity: when texts or circumstances leave doubt, consult a competent council of learned Brāhmaṇas and accept their deliberated decision as the applicable dharma.