साहं धर्म विजानन्ती धर्मनित्ये त्वयि स्थिते । सत्पथं कथमुत्सृज्य यास्यामि विपथं पथ:
sāhaṃ dharmaṃ vijānantī dharmanitye tvayi sthite | satpathaṃ katham utsṛjya yāsyāmi vipathaṃ pathaḥ ||
Ketika engkau, wahai suamiku, senantiasa teguh dalam dharma, bagaimana mungkin aku—yang memahami dharma—meninggalkan jalan benar dan melangkah ke jalan sesat?
भीष्म उवाच
When one clearly knows dharma and is supported by a person firmly established in righteousness, abandoning the virtuous course for an unrighteous one becomes morally incoherent; the verse affirms steadfast commitment to the ‘satpatha’ over the ‘vipatha’.
Within Bhishma’s discourse in the Shanti Parva, a woman’s voice is quoted to express ethical firmness: addressing someone who is ‘ever constant in dharma,’ she declares she cannot forsake the righteous path and turn to wrongdoing.