Shloka 15
Daṇḍa, Ahiṃsā, and Proportional Kingship: The Dyumatsena–Satyavān Dialogue (दण्ड-अहिंसा-विवेकः)
कामादन्येच्छया चान्ये कारणैरपरैस्तथा । असन्तो<पि वृथाचारं भजन्ते बहवो5परे
kāmād anyecchayā cānye kāraṇair aparais tathā | asanto 'pi vṛthācāraṃ bhajante bahavo 'pare ||
Disse Yudhiṣṭhira: Alguns praticam o dharma por desejo; outros o fazem para satisfazer a vontade de outrem; e outros ainda agem por motivos variados. Muitos, embora não sejam verdadeiramente virtuosos, também adotam uma conduta vazia e exibicionista—espalhando a mera aparência de retidão sem a sua substância.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is often pursued for mixed motives—desire, social pressure, or other causes—and therefore outward observance alone is unreliable; true righteousness depends on inner virtue and sincere intent, not mere display.
In the Śānti Parva’s reflective dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira raises a moral concern: he observes that many people perform ‘dharma’ for self-serving or external reasons, and that even unvirtuous persons can imitate religious conduct, creating confusion about what genuine dharma looks like.