Shloka 24
Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ
Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly
दारयोर्यस्य चान्येन मिषत:ः प्राज्ञमानिन: । तव जातान्यपत्यानि सज्जनाचरिते पथि
dārayoḥ yasya cānyena miṣataḥ prājñamāninaḥ | tava jātāny apatyāni sajjanācarite pathi ||
ស៊ីសុបាលា បាននិយាយថា៖ «ទោះបីអ្នក—អ្នកដែលអួតថាប្រាជ្ញា—ឈរមើលក៏ដោយ កូនៗត្រូវបានបង្កើតឡើងសម្រាប់ភរិយាមេម៉ាយទាំងពីររបស់អ្នកដោយបុរសផ្សេង។ ប៉ុន្តែអ្នកនៅតែអះអាងថាខ្លួនឈរលើផ្លូវប្រព្រឹត្តរបស់អ្នកល្អប្រសើរទាំងឡាយ!»
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral accusation: claiming alignment with the ‘path of the virtuous’ is challenged when one’s conduct (or tolerated circumstances) is portrayed as violating accepted standards of propriety and honor. It highlights how dharma is contested in public discourse through appeals to reputation and social norms.
Śiśupāla is delivering a hostile critique in the royal assembly, using a pointed allegation about another man fathering children through the addressee’s widowed wives, to undermine the addressee’s claim to wisdom and righteous conduct.