Shloka 8

ऋत्विग्धर्मः, दक्षिणा-न्यायः, तपसः परमार्थः

Ritvij-Dharma, the Norm of Dakṣiṇā, and the Higher Meaning of Tapas

Devanagari script

नेदं प्रतिधनं शास्त्रमापद्धर्मानुशास्त्रत: । आज्ञा शास्त्रस्य घोरेयं न शक्ति समवेक्षते,अतः दक्षिणामें दिये जानेवाले धनके विषयमें जो यह शास्त्र-वचन है, यह आपत्कालिक धर्मशास्त्रके अनुसार नहीं है। मेरी समझमें तो यह शास्त्रकी आज्ञा भयंकर है; क्योंकि यह इस बातकी ओर नहीं देखती कि दातामें कितने दानकी शक्ति है

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

nedaṃ pratidhanaṃ śāstram āpaddharmānuśāsataḥ |

ājñā śāstrasya ghoreyaṃ na śaktiṃ samavekṣate ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Ajaran śāstra tentang ‘membalas dengan harta’ ini tidak sejalan dengan tuntunan dharma pada masa kesukaran (āpaddharma). Bagiku, perintah śāstra ini terasa keras, sebab ia tidak menimbang kemampuan sang dermawan—seberapa banyak ia sungguh mampu memberi.”

Word by Word

• {'nedaṃ (na idaṃ)': 'not this

• this is not', 'pratidhana': 'repayment/return by wealth

• compensatory payment (esp. in the context of gifts/fees)', 'śāstram': 'scriptural injunction

• authoritative teaching', 'āpaddharma': 'dharma for times of calamity/distress (emergency ethics)', 'anuśāsataḥ': 'according to the instruction/teaching

• as enjoined', 'ājñā': 'command

• injunction', 'ghorā': 'terrible

• severe', 'na ... samavekṣate': 'does not consider

• does not take into account', 'śakti': 'ability

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śāstra (scriptural authority)
• Āpaddharma (emergency dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Yudhiṣṭhira argues that ethical injunctions about giving or repayment must be interpreted with context: in distress (āpaddharma), a rule that ignores a person’s actual capacity (śakti) becomes morally harsh and potentially unjust.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s discussions on dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira questions a scriptural-sounding rule concerning wealth given as a due/fee or repayment, objecting that it does not align with emergency-dharma principles because it fails to consider the giver’s means.