Shloka 81
Varṇa-dharma and Rājadharma: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Normative Outline (वर्णधर्म-राजधर्म-प्रश्नोत्तरम्)
प्रजानामायुषो हासं विज्ञाय भगवान् शिव: । संचिक्षेप ततः शास्त्र महास्त्र ब्रह्मणा कृतम्
prajānām āyuṣo hāsaṃ vijñāya bhagavān śivaḥ | saṃcikṣepa tataḥ śāstraṃ mahāstraṃ brahmaṇā kṛtam ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Tatkala Tuhan Śiva menyedari kemerosotan usia makhluk hidup, Baginda pun meringkaskan risalah itu—suatu ‘senjata agung’ bersifat ilahi yang telah digubah oleh Brahmā—agar ia tetap dapat digunakan dan berkesan pada zaman kemampuan manusia semakin menyusut.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
As human capacity declines with time, even sacred knowledge and powerful disciplines must be responsibly adapted in form—condensed and made practicable—without losing their essential authority. The verse implies an ethic of proportion: teachings (especially those involving power, like weapons) should match the moral and intellectual strength of their users.
Bhīṣma explains that Śiva, noticing the shortening of beings’ lifespans, abridged a major śāstra—described as a great astra-system—originally composed by Brahmā. This frames a tradition-history in which divine figures regulate and transmit potent knowledge in accordance with changing ages.