Shloka 7
Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ
Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel
व्याजेन चरते धर्ममर्थ व्याजेन रोचते । व्याजेन सिद्धयमानेषु धनेषु कुरुनन्दन
bhīṣma uvāca | vyājena carate dharmam arthaṁ vyājena rocate | vyājena siddhyamāneṣu dhaneṣu kurunandana, uttaraṁ nyāyasambaddhaṁ bravīti vidhicoditam ||
ビーシュマは言った。「その者は義を口実としてのみダルマを行い、口実と欺きによって財を求める。そしてその欺きの利得がうまくいくとき—おお、クル族の喜びよ—彼は全ての知恵をまさにその道に注ぎ込む。やがて、学ある友や善意の人々が諫めても—おお、バーラタの子孫よ—彼はなお罪を犯すことだけを望み、止める者には、聖典の言葉を巧みに継ぎ合わせた、いかにも『正当』で『法に適う』かのような答えを返すのだ。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that once a person normalizes deceit for gain, he begins to disguise adharma as dharma: he clings to successful wrongdoing, rejects sincere counsel, and even weaponizes scriptural language to make his actions appear justified.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhishma analyzes a moral failure-pattern: a man starts with ‘pretexts’ for righteousness, shifts to deceitful pursuit of wealth, becomes mentally invested in that success, and then answers reprovers with seemingly lawful, reasoned replies drawn from injunctions.