Shloka 9
Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Reconciliation and Partition (भीष्मोपदेशः—संधि-राज्यविभागविचारः)
ततो<हं न करोम्येनं व्यवसायं क्रियां प्रति । धर्म: सदैव संदिग्ध: प्रतिभाति हि मे त्वयम्,इसलिये मैं इस धर्मविरोधी आचारको काममें नहीं लाना चाहता। मुझे तो इस कार्यके धर्मसंगत होनेमें सदा ही संदेह जान पड़ता है
tato 'haṁ na karomy enaṁ vyavasāyaṁ kriyāṁ prati | dharmaḥ sadaiva sandigdhaḥ pratibhāti hi me tvayā ||
Drupada said: “Therefore I will not undertake this resolve, nor proceed with this course of action. Because of what you have said, the righteousness of this deed appears to me always doubtful; I cannot bring myself to employ a practice that seems opposed to dharma.”
दुपद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when an action seems expedient, it should not be undertaken if its alignment with dharma remains doubtful; moral uncertainty is presented as sufficient reason to refrain.
Drupada responds to another speaker’s proposal or reasoning and declines to proceed, stating that the act appears contrary to dharma and that he continues to doubt its righteousness.