Shloka 5

Daṇḍa, Ahiṃsā, and Proportional Kingship: The Dyumatsena–Satyavān Dialogue (दण्ड-अहिंसा-विवेकः)

Devanagari script

सदाचारो मतो धर्म: सन्तस्त्वाचारलक्षणा: । साध्यासाध्यं कथं शक्‍यं सदाचारो हालक्षण:

Transliteration

sadācāro mato dharmaḥ santaś tv ācāralakṣaṇāḥ | sādhyāsādhyaṃ kathaṃ śakyaṃ sadācāro hālakṣaṇaḥ ||

Translation

యుధిష్ఠిరుడు అన్నాడు—సదాచారమే ధర్మమని భావిస్తారు; సజ్జనులు తమ ఆచారంతోనే గుర్తింపబడతారు. అయితే ఏది చేయవలసినది, ఏది చేయకూడనిదో ఎలా నిర్ణయించాలి? సదాచారాన్ని గుర్తించే లక్షణాలు ఏవి?

Word by Word

सदाचारःgood conduct

मतःis considered

धर्मःdharma; righteousness

सन्तःthe good (people)

तुbut; indeed

आचारलक्षणाःcharacterized by conduct

साध्यwhat is to be accomplished; feasible

असाध्यंwhat is not to be accomplished; infeasible

कथंhow?

शक्यंpossible

सदाचारःgood conduct

हलक्षणःhaving the mark/sign (as its characteristic)

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

santaḥ (the virtuous/wise)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Dharma is often defined through sadācāra (right conduct) and exemplified by the virtuous, yet Yudhiṣṭhira presses for a clearer criterion: how to distinguish truly obligatory action from forbidden action, and what reliable signs define ‘right conduct’ itself.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the instructional setting of the Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira questions the basis of moral authority. He acknowledges the common claim that dharma is known through good conduct and the example of the good, but asks for a more precise method to judge right and wrong in practice.