Shloka 10

Daṇḍa, Ahiṃsā, and Proportional Kingship: The Dyumatsena–Satyavān Dialogue (दण्ड-अहिंसा-विवेकः)

Devanagari script

ते चेत्‌ सर्वप्रमाणं वै प्रमाणं ह्ृत्र विद्यते । प्रमाणे5प्यप्रमाणेन विरुद्धे शास्त्रता कुत:,यदि सम्पूर्ण वेद प्रामाणिक हैं तो स्मृतियाँ भी प्रामाणिक हो सकती हैं; परंतु जब (युग- युगमें धर्मके विषयमें विभिन्न प्रकारकी बात कहनेसे) प्रमाणभूत वेद भी अप्रामाणिक हो तो वेदमूलक स्मृतियाँ भी प्रामाणिक नहीं रहेंगी। यदि स्मृतिका श्रुतिके साथ विरोध हो तो उसमें शास्त्रत्व कैसे रह सकता है?

Transliteration

te cet sarva-pramāṇaṃ vai pramāṇaṃ hy atra vidyate | pramāṇe 'py apramāṇena viruddhe śāstratā kutaḥ ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Jika Veda benar-benar menjadi ukuran sejagat bagi pengetahuan yang sah, maka hanya Veda-lah autoriti di sini. Namun apabila autoriti itu sendiri dipertikaikan oleh sesuatu yang dianggap bukan autoriti, bagaimana mungkin apa-apa pun masih layak bergelar ‘śāstra’? Dan jika suatu Smṛti bercanggah dengan Śruti, atas dasar apakah ia masih boleh disebut sebagai kitab suci?”

Word by Word

तेthey / those

चेत्if

सर्व-प्रमाणम्the all-authoritative (standard of proof)

वैindeed

प्रमाणम्a valid authority / proof

हृतम्taken away / removed

विद्यतेexists / is found

प्रमाणेin/with regard to the authority (standard of proof)

अपिeven / also

अ-प्रमाणेनby/with what is non-authoritative

विरुद्धेwhen (it is) in contradiction

शास्त्रताthe status of being scripture / scriptural authority

कुतःwhence? how? (how can it be?)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse argues that scriptural authority depends on consistency with the highest accepted pramāṇa (Śruti/Veda). If a text or rule (such as Smṛti) contradicts Śruti, its claim to be ‘śāstra’ becomes untenable.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Yudhiṣṭhira presses a critical question about how to determine true dharma when different authorities appear to conflict, challenging the basis on which secondary texts can remain authoritative.