Shloka 20
Śara-śayyā-sthita-bhīṣma-saṃvāda-prastāvaḥ
The Prelude to Questioning Bhīṣma on the Bed of Arrows
शिष्टैश्न॒ धर्मो यः प्रोक्त: स च मे हृदि वर्तते । देशजातिकुलानां च धर्मज्ञोडस्मि जनार्दन
śiṣṭaiḥ dharmo yaḥ proktaḥ sa ca me hṛdi vartate | deśa-jāti-kulānāṁ ca dharmajño 'smi janārdana ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dharma yang diajarkan oleh para bijaksana dan para tua yang beradab itu bersemayam di dalam hatiku. Dan aku juga mengetahui kewajipan adat yang berkaitan dengan wilayah, komuniti, dan keturunan, wahai Janārdana.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma affirms that true dharma is grounded in the teachings and lived example of śiṣṭas (cultured, exemplary authorities) and that dharma also includes context-sensitive norms—those shaped by place (deśa), community (jāti), and lineage (kula). Ethical discernment therefore requires both principled guidance and awareness of legitimate customary duties.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma speaks as an authoritative teacher, assuring Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa) that the dharma taught by the wise is firmly established in his heart and that he is competent to explain even the nuanced, customary obligations tied to regional, communal, and familial traditions.