Shloka 18
Adhyāya 159 — Dāna–Dakṣiṇā, Āpaddharma Measures, and Prāyaścitta Classifications
अन्तःक्रूरा वाड्मधुरा: कूपाश्छन्नास्तृणैरिव । धर्मवैतंसिका: क्षुद्रा मुष्णन्ति ध्वजिनो जगत्
antaḥkrūrā vāṅmadhurāḥ kūpāś channās tṛṇair iva | dharmavaitāṃsikāḥ kṣudrā muṣṇanti dhvajino jagat ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—କେତେକ ଲୋକ ଭିତରେ କ୍ରୂର, କଥାରେ ମଧୁର; ସେମାନେ ଘାସରେ ଢାକା କୂଆ ପରି। ଧର୍ମର ନାମରେ ବ୍ୟବସାୟ କରୁଥିବା ସେଇ କ୍ଷୁଦ୍ର ଲୋକେ, ଧର୍ମଧ୍ୱଜ ଧାରଣ କରି, ଜଗତକୁ ଠକି ଲୁଟନ୍ତି।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Outer piety and pleasant speech can mask inner cruelty; those who brandish ‘dharma’ as a public banner while lacking integrity become dangerous to society, exploiting trust and robbing others under a moral pretext.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and governance. Here he warns against dharma-pretenders—people who appear virtuous but are inwardly harmful—using the image of a grass-covered well to show concealed danger.