ऋत्विग्धर्मः, दक्षिणा-न्यायः, तपसः परमार्थः
Ritvij-Dharma, the Norm of Dakṣiṇā, and the Higher Meaning of Tapas
पुमान् यज्ञश्न सोमश्च न्यायवृत्तो यदा भवेत् | अन्यायवृत्त: पुरुषो न परस्य न चात्मन:
pumān yajñaśna somaś ca nyāyavṛtto yadā bhavet | anyāyavṛttaḥ puruṣo na parasya na cātmanaḥ ||
ಯಜ್ಞಕರ್ತ ಪುರುಷ, ಯಜ್ಞ ಮತ್ತು ಸೋಮರಸ—ಈ ಮೂರು ನ್ಯಾಯವೃತ್ತಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಸದುಪಚಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರವಾಗಿದ್ದಾಗ ಯಜ್ಞವು ಯಥಾರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ಸಿದ್ಧಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಅನ್ಯಾಯಪರನಾದವನು ಪರರಿಗೂ ತನ್ನಿಗೂ ಹಿತ ಮಾಡಲಾರನು.
भीष्म उवाच
Ritual action becomes genuinely fruitful only when it is grounded in justice and ethical conduct; unrighteous behavior undermines both social good and personal welfare.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma explains to the listener that the integrity of a sacrifice depends on the moral rectitude of all involved—sacrificer, participants, and the Soma offering—while condemning the futility of unjust conduct.