Shloka 3
Kṣātra-Dharma, Daṇḍanīti, and Social Order
Indra–Māndhātṛ Dialogue
अप्रत्यक्ष बहुद्वारं धर्ममाश्रमवासिनाम् । प्ररूपयन्ति तद्भावमागमैरेव शाश्वतम्,आश्रमवासियोंका सनातन धर्म अनेक द्वारवाला और अप्रत्यक्ष है, विद्वान् पुरुष शास्त्रोंद्वारा ही उसके स्वरूपका निर्णय करते हैं
bhīṣma uvāca | apratyakṣa-bahudvāraṃ dharmam āśramavāsinām | prarūpayanti tadbhāvam āgamair eva śāśvatam ||
ビーシュマは言った。「アーシュラマの規律に住する者たちの永遠のダルマは、直に目に見えるものではなく、また到達の門は多い。ゆえに学識ある者は、ただ聖典の権威ある教えによってのみ、その真の相を定め、明らかにするのである。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma—especially the dharma governing the āśrama-based way of life—is subtle and not fully grasped by direct perception; its reliable determination requires recourse to śāstra/āgama (authoritative tradition).
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma explains to his listener that the nature of dharma is complex and indirect, and that wise people clarify it by grounding their conclusions in scriptural authority.