Shloka 12
Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ
Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel
एवं भवति पापात्मा धर्मात्मानं तु मे शृणु यथा कुशलधर्मा स कुशल प्रतिपद्यते
evaṁ bhavati pāpātmā dharmātmānaṁ tu me śṛṇu yathā kuśaladharmā sa kuśalaḥ pratipadyate
“Demikianlah jadinya orang yang berjiwa berdosa. Sekarang dengarlah tentang orang yang berjiwa dharma: bagaimana seseorang yang mahir dalam dharma mencapai kesejahteraan dan melangkah di jalan kebaikan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma contrasts two moral trajectories: the formation of a sinful disposition (pāpātmā) and, in contrast, the way a righteous person (dharmātmā)—one skilled in dharma—attains kuśala, i.e., welfare and auspicious good.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma continues his instruction by concluding a description of how a wicked person becomes so, and then turns to explain the corresponding path of the virtuous—how right understanding and practice of dharma leads to well-being.