Shloka 7
Vyaktāvyakta-Viveka and Nivṛtti as Paramā Gati
Manifest–Unmanifest Discrimination and the Supreme Path of Withdrawal
वेदेषु चापि यद् वाक््यं लौकिकं व्यापकं च यत् । एतद् विद्वन् यथातत्त्वं सर्व व्याख्यातुमहसि,“वेदों और स्मृतियोंमें भी जो लौकिक और व्यापक धर्मोका वर्णन है, उनमें भी विषमता है। अतः विद्वन्! इन सबकी आप यथार्थरूपसे व्याख्या करें!
vedeṣu cāpi yad vākyaṃ laukikaṃ vyāpakaṃ ca yat | etad vidvan yathātattvaṃ sarvaṃ vyākhyātum arhasi ||
“ବେଦରେ ଥିବା ବାକ୍ୟମାନେ ଓ ସ୍ମୃତିରେ ଉପଦିଷ୍ଟ ଲୋକିକ ଏବଂ ସାଧାରଣ-ବ୍ୟାପକ ଧର୍ମ—ଏହାମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମୋତେ ବିଷମତା ଦେଖାଯାଏ। ତେଣୁ, ହେ ବିଦ୍ୱାନ, ଯଥାତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ଭାବେ ଏ ସବୁର ବ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟା କରନ୍ତୁ।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That even authoritative sources like the Vedas (and by implication related dharma-teachings) can appear mutually inconsistent, so a wise interpreter must explain them 'yathātattvam'—in a way aligned with the underlying truth and intent, not merely by literal or isolated readings.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Bhishma frames a problem of interpretive conflict: teachings that are worldly and broadly applicable, even when found in the Vedas, may seem uneven or contradictory. He calls upon the learned interlocutor to provide a coherent, reality-grounded explanation of all such statements.