Shloka 20
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
असिर्विशसनो धर्मस्तीक्षणवर्मा दुराधर: । श्रीगर्भो विजय: शास्ता व्यवहार: सनातन:
asir viśasano dharmas tīkṣṇavarmā durādharaḥ | śrīgarbho vijayaḥ śāstā vyavahāraḥ sanātanaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dharma bagaikan pedang yang menebas; sukar dipikul, bersalut perisai yang tajam, dan sukar ditahan. Namun di dalamnya tersimpan kemakmuran; ia membawa kemenangan, berdiri sebagai pembimbing yang tegas, dan kekal sebagai ukuran abadi bagi perilaku benar dalam urusan dunia.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not merely gentle advice; it can be severe and demanding like a weapon. Though difficult to uphold, it protects, disciplines, and ultimately yields prosperity and victory, serving as an enduring standard for right conduct.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living and governance, Bhīṣma characterizes dharma through vivid metaphors—sword, armor, and ruler—to impress upon the listener that moral order both restrains wrongdoing and sustains society through lasting norms of conduct.