Shloka 20
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
असिर्विशसनो धर्मस्तीक्षणवर्मा दुराधर: । श्रीगर्भो विजय: शास्ता व्यवहार: सनातन:
asir viśasano dharmas tīkṣṇavarmā durādharaḥ | śrīgarbho vijayaḥ śāstā vyavahāraḥ sanātanaḥ ||
Dharma bagaikan pedang yang menebas; berzirah tajam, berat untuk dipikul, dan sukar ditahan. Namun di dalamnya tersimpan śrī (kemakmuran); ia menganugerahkan kemenangan, menjadi penuntun yang tegas, dan tetap sebagai ukuran abadi bagi tata laku dalam urusan dunia.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not merely gentle advice; it can be severe and demanding like a weapon. Though difficult to uphold, it protects, disciplines, and ultimately yields prosperity and victory, serving as an enduring standard for right conduct.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living and governance, Bhīṣma characterizes dharma through vivid metaphors—sword, armor, and ruler—to impress upon the listener that moral order both restrains wrongdoing and sustains society through lasting norms of conduct.