Shloka 31
Śiśupāla-vākya: Bhīṣma-nindā and the ‘Haṃsa’ Exemplum (शिशुपालवाक्यम् — भीष्मनिन्दा, हंसदृष्टान्तः)
यो हि धर्म विचिनुयादुत्कृष्टं मतिमान् नर: । स वै पश्येद् यथा धर्म न तथा चेदिराडयम्
yo hi dharma vicinuyād utkṛṣṭaṃ matimān naraḥ | sa vai paśyed yathā dharma na tathā cedīrāḍ ayam ||
ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮವಾಗಿ ವಿಚಾರಿಸುವ ವಿವೇಕವಂತನು ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಯಥಾರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಆದರೆ ಈ ಚೇದಿ ರಾಜ ಶಿಶುಪಾಲನು ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಹಾಗೆ ಅರಿಯುವುದಿಲ್ಲ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True understanding of dharma requires reflective inquiry and higher discernment; without such examination, a person—even a king—misapprehends what is right.
Bhishma contrasts the insight of a wise seeker of dharma with Shishupala’s flawed understanding, identifying Shishupala (the Cedi king) as someone who does not grasp dharma correctly.