Shloka 41
Dāyavibhāga (Inheritance Apportionment) and Household Precedence — Dialogue of Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma
अतीव हास्य धर्मेच्छा पितुर्मेडभ्यधिका भवत् । ततो5हमन्रुवं राजन्नाचारेप्सुरिदं वच: । आचार ं तत्त्वतो वेत्तुमिच्छामि च पुन: पुन:
atīva hāsya dharmecchā pitur meḍabhyadhikā bhavat | tato 'ham anruvaṁ rājann ācārepsur idaṁ vacaḥ | ācāraṁ tattvato vettum icchāmi ca punaḥ punaḥ |
Бхишма сказал: «Стремление моего дяди по отцу к соблюдению дхармы было необычайно сильным, даже более настойчивым, чем у моего отца. Тогда, о царь, желая постичь должный обычай, я произнёс: “Отец, я хочу знать точно — снова и снова — каково в этом деле истинное правило традиционного поведения.”»
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
When dharma is disputed or emotionally charged, one should seek clarity about established ācāra (recognized norms of conduct) and understand it ‘tattvataḥ’—accurately and in principle—rather than acting on impulse or partial opinion.
Bhishma recounts a situation where his paternal uncle presses strongly for strict adherence to dharma. In response, Bhishma says he addressed his father, asking repeatedly for a precise explanation of what the accepted traditional conduct (ācāra) is in that specific matter.