Shloka 6
Daṇḍa, Ahiṃsā, and Proportional Kingship: The Dyumatsena–Satyavān Dialogue (दण्ड-अहिंसा-विवेकः)
आपके कथनानुसार सत्पुरुषोंका आचरण धर्म माना गया है और जिनमें धर्माचरण लक्षित होता है
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | āpake kathanānusāra satpuruṣāṇāṃ ācaraṇaṃ dharmaḥ manyate, yeṣu ca dharmācaraṇaṃ lakṣyate te eva satpuruṣāḥ | evaṃ sati anyonyāśraya-doṣa-prasaṅgāt sādhya-asādhya-vivekaḥ kathaṃ syāt? evaṃ sati sadācāro dharmasya lakṣaṇaṃ na bhavitum arhati | dṛśyate hi dharma-rūpeṇā-dharmaḥ prākṛtaś caran | dharmaṃ cā-dharma-rūpeṇa kaścid aprākṛtaś caran ||
युधिष्ठिर उवाच—यद्युक्तं भवता सत्पुरुषाचारो धर्म इति, धर्माचारलक्षणाश्च सत्पुरुषा इति; एवं चान्योन्याश्रयदोषे सति साध्यासाध्यविवेकः कथं स्यात्? तस्मात् सदाचारो न धर्मलक्षणं केवलम्। दृश्यते हि लोके धर्मरूपेणाधर्मः प्राकृतैः क्रियते, धर्मश्चाधर्मरूपेण कश्चिदप्राकृतैः शिष्टैः समाचर्यते; अतः केवलाचारेण धर्माधर्मनिर्णयो न शक्यः॥
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma cannot be defined solely by ‘what good people do,’ because that definition becomes circular and because appearances can mislead: Adharma may masquerade as Dharma, and true Dharma may look like Adharma. One must apply deeper discernment beyond external custom.
In the Śānti Parva’s ethical discussions, Yudhiṣṭhira challenges a proposed criterion for Dharma—identifying it with the conduct of the virtuous—by pointing out the logical flaw of circular definition and the practical problem that actions can be deceptive in appearance.