Shloka 15
Kāpavya-carita (कापव्यचरित) — Reforming Dasyus through Regulated Rāja-Dharma
यथा यथास्य बहव: सहाया: स्युस्तथा परे | आचारमेव मन्यन्ते गरीयो धर्मलक्षणम्
yathā yathāsya bahavaḥ sahāyāḥ syus tathā pare | ācāram eva manyante garīyo dharmalakṣaṇam ||
அரசனுக்கு எந்த நடத்தைக்கு பல துணையரும் சிறந்தோரும் ஆதரவாக இருப்பார்களோ, அதே நடத்தையையே அவர் ஏற்க வேண்டும்; ஏனெனில் தர்மத்தை அறிந்தோர், ஆச்சாரத்தையே தர்மத்தின் மிகப் பெரும் அடையாளமாகக் கருதுவர்।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is most reliably recognized through ācāra—authoritative, lived conduct upheld by the community; therefore a ruler should align his behavior with sound, widely supported practice rather than mere theory.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous governance and moral order, Bhishma advises the listener that a king should adopt conduct that is supported by many capable people, emphasizing that the learned treat proper conduct as the chief indicator of dharma.