Shloka 22
Aśvatthāmā’s Buddhi-Doctrine and Nocturnal Incursion Resolve (अश्वत्थाम्नः बुद्धिविचारः सौप्तिकसंकल्पश्च)
क्षत्रधर्म विदित्वाहं यदि ब्राह्मण्यमाश्रित: । प्रकुर्या सुमहत् कर्म न मे तत् साधुसम्मतम्
kṣatradharma viditvāhaṃ yadi brāhmaṇyam āśritaḥ | prakuryā sumahat karma na me tat sādhusammatam ||
क्षत्रधर्मं विदित्वाहं यदि ब्राह्मण्यमाश्रितः । प्रकुर्यां सुमहत्कर्म न मे तत्साधुसम्मतम् ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses consistency between one’s adopted dharma (social-religious role) and one’s actions: claiming brāhmaṇa-like restraint while performing a major violent deed is ethically disapproved by the virtuous.
In the Sauptika context—where night-time violence and questions of propriety loom large—Sañjaya frames an ethical evaluation: even if one understands kṣatriya warfare, taking on brāhmaṇa-identity and then committing a weighty act would not be considered righteous.