Shloka 8

ऋत्विग्धर्मः, दक्षिणा-न्यायः, तपसः परमार्थः

Ritvij-Dharma, the Norm of Dakṣiṇā, and the Higher Meaning of Tapas

Devanagari script

नेदं प्रतिधनं शास्त्रमापद्धर्मानुशास्त्रत: । आज्ञा शास्त्रस्य घोरेयं न शक्ति समवेक्षते

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |

nedaṃ pratidhanaṃ śāstram āpaddharmānuśāsataḥ |

ājñā śāstrasya ghoreyaṃ na śaktiṃ samavekṣate ||

Translation

ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಧನದಿಂದ ಪ್ರತಿದಾನ ಮಾಡಬೇಕೆಂಬ ಈ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರವಿಧಾನವು ಆಪದ್ಧರ್ಮೋಪದೇಶಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊಂದುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ನನ್ನ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರದ ಈ ಆಜ್ಞೆ ಕಠೋರ; ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ದಾತನ ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯ—ಅವನು ಎಷ್ಟು ಕೊಡಬಲ್ಲನು—ಅದನ್ನು ಇದು ಪರಿಗಣಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

• {'nedaṃ (na idaṃ)': 'not this

• this is not', 'pratidhana': 'repayment/return by wealth

• compensatory payment (esp. in the context of gifts/fees)', 'śāstram': 'scriptural injunction

• authoritative teaching', 'āpaddharma': 'dharma for times of calamity/distress (emergency ethics)', 'anuśāsataḥ': 'according to the instruction/teaching

• as enjoined', 'ājñā': 'command

• injunction', 'ghorā': 'terrible

• severe', 'na ... samavekṣate': 'does not consider

• does not take into account', 'śakti': 'ability

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śāstra (scriptural authority)
• Āpaddharma (emergency dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Yudhiṣṭhira argues that ethical injunctions about giving or repayment must be interpreted with context: in distress (āpaddharma), a rule that ignores a person’s actual capacity (śakti) becomes morally harsh and potentially unjust.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s discussions on dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira questions a scriptural-sounding rule concerning wealth given as a due/fee or repayment, objecting that it does not align with emergency-dharma principles because it fails to consider the giver’s means.