Shloka 203
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
धर्म: सुचरित: सद्धिः स च द्वाभ्यां नियच्छति । श्रीकृष्णकी यह बात सुनकर धर्मज्ञ हलधरने इस प्रकार कहा--*श्रीकृष्ण! श्रेष्ठ पुरुषोंने धर्मका अच्छी तरह आचरण किया है; किंतु वह अर्थ और काम--इन दो वस्तुओंसे संकुचित हो जाता है
dharmaḥ sucaritaḥ saddhiḥ sa ca dvābhyāṁ niyacchati |
Sanjaya said: “Dharma is well practiced by the virtuous; yet it is constrained by two forces—artha (material advantage) and kāma (desire).” In the ethical tension of the war narrative, the line underscores how even rightly known and traditionally upheld righteousness can be narrowed or overridden when worldly gain and personal craving press upon decision-making.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when dharma is known and practiced by the virtuous, it can be practically limited by artha (self-interest, gain) and kāma (desire). The verse highlights how moral clarity is often pressured and narrowed by worldly incentives and personal cravings.
In Sanjaya’s narration during the Shalya Parva, a reflection is offered on the fragility of dharma amid conflict: the war setting repeatedly shows how leaders and warriors, though aware of righteousness, become constrained by ambition and desire.