Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 13
अवृत्ता ये तु भिन्दन्ति श्रुतित्यागपरायणा: । धर्मविद्वेषिणो मन्दा इत्युक्तस्तेषु संशय:
avṛttā ye tu bhindanti śruti-tyāga-parāyaṇāḥ | dharma-vidveṣiṇo mandā ity uktaḥ teṣu saṁśayaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Bhishma: “Yaong mga walang wastong asal, sumisira sa itinakdang pamantayan, nakatuon sa pagtalikod sa śruti (pahayag ng Veda), napopoot sa dharma, at mapurol ang isip—tungkol sa gayong mga tao, ipinahayag na nararapat ang pag-aalinlangan. Nilalabag nila ang hangganan ng matuwid na gawi at disiplina ng kaugalian na itinindig ng mabubuti; kaya’t hindi sila dapat pagkatiwalaang gabay sa katotohanan at tungkulin.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person who lacks good conduct, rejects śruti (Vedic authority), and is hostile to dharma is inherently unreliable; the wise should treat such a person’s claims and guidance with doubt.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is advising on standards for judging moral and religious authority, warning Yudhishthira that those who break established righteous norms and reject śruti should not be accepted as trustworthy arbiters of dharma.