Shloka 5
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 28: Dharmādharmalakṣaṇa in Āpad
Crisis-Discernment of Right and Wrong
यथा55ख्यातमावसत: कुट॒म्बे पुरा कस्मात् साधुविलोपमात्थ । अस्मिन् विधौ वर्तमाने यथाव- दुच्चावचा मतयो ब्राह्मणानाम्
yathā khyātam āvasataḥ kuṭumbe purā kasmāt sādhu-vilopam āttha | asmin vidhau vartamāne yathāvad uccāvacā matayo brāhmaṇānām, sañjaya ||
Disse Vāyu: “Sañjaya, tu bem sabes que nem eu nem Yudhiṣṭhira podemos cair do dharma. Por que, então, antes falaste de ‘perda de virtude’ no caso de Yudhiṣṭhira—com que fundamento levantaste tal suspeita—quando ele vive na ordem do chefe de família exatamente como a tradição prescreve? Ainda que esta regra escritural para o estado de casa permaneça em vigor, brâmanes versados nos Vedas sustentam opiniões diversas sobre aceitá-la ou renunciá-la.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes Yudhiṣṭhira’s unwavering commitment to dharma and highlights that even when a scriptural rule exists (here, the householder’s discipline), learned authorities may still disagree about its adoption or renunciation—showing the complexity of applying dharma in lived life.
Vāyudeva addresses Sañjaya and challenges him for having earlier suggested a possible lapse of dharma in Yudhiṣṭhira. Vāyu argues that Yudhiṣṭhira follows the prescribed householder conduct, and notes that debates among Brāhmaṇas about household life versus renunciation can lead to differing judgments.