Shloka 18
Kāpavya-carita (कापव्यचरित) — Reforming Dasyus through Regulated Rāja-Dharma
देवताश्न विकर्मस्थं पातयन्ति नराधमम् | व्याजेन विन्दन वित्त हि धर्मात् स परिहीयते,देवता भी विपरीत कर्ममें लगे हुए अधम मनुष्यको नरकोंमें गिराते हैं; अतः जो छलसे धन प्राप्त करता है, वह धर्मसे भ्रष्ट हो जाता है
bhīṣma uvāca | devatāś ca vikarmasthaṃ pātayanti narādhamam | vyājena vindan vittaṃ hi dharmāt sa parihīyate ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Para dewa pun mencampakkan ke neraka manusia paling hina yang terus-menerus berpegang pada perbuatan tidak benar. Maka sesiapa yang memperoleh harta melalui tipu daya dan helah, dia menyimpang daripada dharma dan kehilangan kebenaran.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wealth gained through deceit (vyāja) is ethically corrupting: it separates a person from dharma. Persistent unrighteous action (vikarma) leads to moral and spiritual downfall, described here as being cast into hell by the upholders of cosmic order (the devatās).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Bhishma warns Yudhishthira about the consequences of adharma. He states that divine forces punish those who remain engaged in wrongful conduct, and he specifically condemns acquiring wealth through trickery as a cause of falling away from dharma.