Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 113 — Maryādā-sthāpana (Śvetaketu’s Boundary) and the Niyoga Deliberation of Pāṇḍu and Kuntī
नात्र कश्नन दोषो<स्ति पूर्वधिरयं कृत: । विदितेय च ते शल्य मर्यादा साधुसम्मता,“यदि तुम्हारे पूर्वजोंने इस विधिको स्वीकार कर लिया है तो इसमें कोई दोष नहीं है। शल्य! साधु पुरुषोंद्वारा सम्मानित तुम्हारी यह कुलमर्यादा हम सबको विदित है”
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: nātra kaścan doṣo 'sti pūrvair dhir ayaṃ kṛtaḥ | viditā ca te śalya maryādā sādhusammatā ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Walang kasalanan dito, sapagkat ang kaugaliang ito’y itinatag ng iyong mga ninuno. At, O Śalya, ang hanggahang ito ng asal—ang tinatanggap na kaugalian ng iyong angkan na pinararangalan ng mga matuwid—ay batid naming lahat.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
A practice is not deemed blameworthy when it is an established, socially recognized family custom (maryādā) sanctioned by virtuous people; tradition and communal ethical approval are invoked as grounds for legitimacy.
Vaiśampāyana reassures Śalya that the discussed rule or practice carries no moral defect because it was instituted by Śalya’s ancestors and is a well-known, respected family norm acknowledged by righteous people.