Shloka 8
Prabhāsa-tīrthe Vṛṣṇi–Pāṇḍava-saṅgamaḥ; Halī Rāmasya dharma-vimarśaḥ
Meeting at Prabhāsa and Balarāma’s Reflection on Dharma
अयं स धर्मप्रभवो नरेन्द्रो धर्मे धृत: सत्यधृति: प्रदाता । चलेद्धि राज्याच्च सुखाच्च पार्थो धर्मादपेतस्तु कथं विवर्धेत्,ये राजा युधिष्ठिर साक्षात् धर्मके पुत्र हैं। धर्म ही इनका आधार है। ये सदा सत्यका आश्रय लेते और दान देते रहते हैं। कुन्तीकुमार युधिष्ठिर राज्य और सुख छोड़ सकते हैं, (परंतु धर्मका त्याग नहीं कर सकते) भला, धर्मसे दूर होकर कोई कैसे अभ्युदयका भागी हो सकता है?
ayaṃ sa dharmaprabhavo narendro dharme dhṛtaḥ satyadhṛtiḥ pradātā | caleddhi rājyācca sukhācca pārtho dharmādapetastu kathaṃ vivardhet |
Baladeva disse: “Este rei nasceu do próprio Dharma; é pelo Dharma que se sustenta. Firme na verdade, é doador de dádivas. Yudhiṣṭhira, filho de Kuntī, pode até abandonar o reino e os prazeres, mas não pode abandonar o Dharma. Pois como poderia prosperar de fato alguém que se afastou do Dharma?”
बलदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
True prosperity (abh्युदय/विवृद्धि) is inseparable from Dharma. Even if a righteous person relinquishes power and pleasure, abandoning Dharma destroys the very basis of flourishing; truthfulness and generosity are presented as visible signs of Dharma-grounded kingship.
Baladeva is praising Yudhiṣṭhira’s character, identifying him as ‘born of Dharma’ and sustained by righteousness. He argues that Yudhiṣṭhira may give up worldly advantages like kingdom and comfort, but he will not forsake Dharma—and that anyone who departs from Dharma cannot genuinely advance.