Shloka 22
Bhīṣma–Śiśupāla-saṃvādaḥ
Bhishma and Shishupala’s exchange in the assembly
चेत् त्वं धर्म विजानासि यदि प्राज्ञा मतिस्तव । अन्यकामा हि धर्मज्ञा कन्यका प्राज्ञमानिना । अम्बा नामेति भद्रं ते कथं सापहता त्वया
cet tvaṁ dharma vijānāsi yadi prājñā matis tava | anyakāmā hi dharmajñā kanyakā prājñamāninā | ambā nāmeti bhadraṁ te kathaṁ sā apahatā tvayā ||
Śiśupāla berkata: “Jika engkau benar-benar memahami Dharma, dan jika akalmu sungguh bijaksana serta tajam pertimbangannya—semoga baik bagimu—katakanlah: mengapa engkau, yang menganggap dirimu terpelajar, menculik Ambā, puteri Raja Kāśī yang mengetahui Dharma itu, sedangkan hatinya telah terpaut pada lelaki lain?”
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma as inseparable from ethical discernment: even actions justified by power or custom are questioned when they violate personal choice and prior commitment. Śiśupāla challenges the legitimacy of abducting a woman who is already devoted to another, implying that true ‘wisdom’ must align with moral propriety.
In the royal assembly context, Śiśupāla attacks Bhīṣma’s reputation for dharma by citing the Ambā episode: Bhīṣma had carried off the Kāśī princesses, and Śiśupāla highlights that Ambā’s affection lay elsewhere. The line is part of a broader public denunciation meant to undermine Bhīṣma (and by extension the Kuru side) on ethical grounds.