Shloka 6
Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ
Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel
लोभमोहाभिभूतस्य रागद्वेषान्वितस्य च । न धर्मे जायते बुद्धिर्व्याजादू धर्म करोति च
Bhīṣma uvāca | lobhamohābhibhūtasya rāgadveṣānvitasya ca | na dharme jāyate buddhir vyājād dharmaṃ karoti ca ||
Bhishma berkata: Apabila seseorang ditenggelami oleh ketamakan dan kekeliruan, serta terikat oleh keterikatan dan kebencian, maka pengertiannya tentang dharma tidak bangkit. Sebaliknya, dengan alasan ini atau itu, dia hanya melakukan kebajikan yang bersifat pamer—sekadar tampak benar di luar, bukan kelakuan etika yang sejati.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Greed and delusion, reinforced by attachment and aversion, destroy moral discernment; in that state a person cannot truly commit to dharma and tends to substitute genuine righteousness with performative, pretext-driven ‘show-dharma’.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living and inner discipline, Bhishma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira, explaining how inner vices (lobha, moha, rāga, dveṣa) obstruct true dharmic understanding and lead to merely outward, self-serving displays of virtue.