Shloka 5
यद् भीमसेन सर्पैश्न विषयुक्तैश्न भोजनै: । आचरत् त्वन्मते राजा क्व ते धर्मस्तदा गत:
yad bhīmasena sarpaiś ca viṣayuktaiś ca bhojanaiḥ | ācarat tvanmate rājā kva te dharmas tadā gataḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Ketika, atas nasihatmu, sang raja menempuh cara ular-ular dan makanan beracun untuk mencelakai Bhīmasena—ke manakah dharmamu pergi saat itu?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse indicts selective morality: one cannot invoke dharma only when convenient while having earlier endorsed deceit and lethal wrongdoing. Ethical accountability extends to advisers and enablers, not only to the direct actor.
Sañjaya challenges the addressee’s claim to righteousness by recalling an earlier attempt on Bhīma’s life—using snakes and poisoned food—done under that person’s counsel. He asks pointedly where their dharma was at that moment.