Shloka 15
Rājā–Rāja-Śabda-Prabhavaḥ — The Origin and Rationale of Kingship and Daṇḍanīti
पाल्यमानास्तथान्योन्यं नरा धर्मेण भारत । खेदं परमुपाजग्मुस्ततस्तान् मोह आविशत्
pālyamānās tathānyonyaṁ narā dharmeṇa bhārata | khedaṁ param upājagmus tatas tān moha āviśat ||
हे भारत! मनुष्य धर्माने परस्परांचे पालन-पोषण करीत होते; पण काळान्तराने त्या परस्पर रक्षणाच्या कार्यातच त्यांना मोठा क्लेश जाणवू लागला; तेव्हा सर्वांवर मोह पसरला.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a society grounded in dharma can falter when the duties of mutual care begin to feel burdensome; unchecked fatigue can open the door to moha—confusion that erodes righteous conduct.
Bhishma describes a phase where people initially uphold one another through dharma, but later experience severe strain in maintaining reciprocal protection, after which delusion spreads among them.