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 ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Kung paanong natatagpuan ng hari na maraming iba ang sumusuporta sa isang paraan ng pag-uugali, gayon din dapat niyang tanggapin ang mismong pag-uugaling iyon. Sapagkat yaong tunay na nakakakilala sa dharma ay itinuturing ang wastong kaugalian at itinatag na gawi (ācāra) bilang pinakamabigat na tanda at sukatan ng dharma.”
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.