Shloka 61
एक एव चरेद् धर्म न धर्मध्वजिको भवेत् | धर्मवाणिजका होते ये धर्ममुपभुज्जते
eka eva cared dharmaṁ na dharmadhvajiko bhavet | dharmavāṇijakā hote ye dharmam upabhuñjate ||
Disse Bhishma: “Que a pessoa pratique o dharma mesmo que tenha de fazê-lo sozinha; que não se torne alguém que ostenta a virtude como bandeira. Os que transformam o dharma em meio de sustento—que ‘consomem’ o dharma por ganho—são apenas comerciantes de retidão.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma is inward integrity and consistent conduct, not public display. One should practice righteousness even without social support, and avoid using dharma as a tool for status, profit, or livelihood.
In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on ethical living and right conduct. Here he warns against performative religiosity (dharmadhvaja) and condemns those who commercialize dharma (dharmavāṇijaka).