Shloka 15
Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)
धर्म प्राप्य न्यायवृत्ति न बलीयान् न विन्दति । यस्माद् बलस्योपपत्तिरेकान्तेन न विद्यते
dharmaṁ prāpya nyāyavṛttiṁ na balīyān na vindati | yasmād balasyopapattir ekāntena na vidyate ||
Bhishma berkata: “Bahkan setelah meraih dharma, orang yang lemah tidak niscaya memperoleh penghidupan yang sepenuhnya selaras dengan keadilan. Sebab, kekuatan tidak dijamin akan datang secara mutlak hanya dengan menjalankan dharma. Karena itu, pada masa kesusahan, tindakan yang biasanya adharma kadang disebut ‘dharma’ sebagai kelonggaran darurat. Namun orang bijak menegaskan: bahkan dalam bencana, bertindak melawan dharma tetap melahirkan adharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma does not mechanically guarantee worldly power or a secure, fully just livelihood; hence emergencies tempt people to justify questionable acts as ‘necessary.’ Still, Bhīṣma underscores that violating dharma remains adharma even when done under pressure—ethical labels should not be diluted by convenience.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on governance and moral conduct, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira about the tension between ideal righteousness and harsh realities. He explains why people invoke ‘emergency dharma’ in crises, while also warning that wise judgment recognizes the moral cost of actions taken against dharma.