Shloka 51
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
व्यवहारस्तु वेदात्मा वेदप्रत्यय उच्यते । मौलश्न नरशार्दूल शास्त्रोक्तश्न तथा पर:
vyavahāras tu vedātmā vedapratyaya ucyate | maulaś ca naraśārdūla śāstroktas ca tathā paraḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Amalan dan tatacara dunia (vyavahāra) dikatakan berjiwa Veda dan bersandar pada kewibawaan Veda. Namun, wahai harimau di kalangan manusia, ada juga suatu ukuran asal yang mendasar, dan demikian pula satu lagi yang dinyatakan oleh śāstra—masing-masing menjadi pedoman untuk keputusan yang benar apabila timbul persoalan tentang kewajipan dan hukum.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that worldly/legal practice (vyavahāra) should not be treated as mere convention: it is ideally rooted in the Veda and validated by Vedic authority. Alongside this, he acknowledges multiple standards for determining right conduct—an original/foundational basis (maula) and an additional basis articulated in śāstra—indicating a layered approach to dharma where practice, Vedic grounding, and śāstric formulation interact.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma, governance, and norms after the war. Here he is clarifying how to evaluate rules and judgments: everyday practice is to be understood as Veda-rooted, while also recognizing foundational principles and śāstric prescriptions as complementary guides in deciding what is right.