Shloka 7
Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ
Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel
व्याजेन चरते धर्ममर्थ व्याजेन रोचते । व्याजेन सिद्धयमानेषु धनेषु कुरुनन्दन
bhīṣma uvāca | vyājena carate dharmam arthaṁ vyājena rocate | vyājena siddhyamāneṣu dhaneṣu kurunandana, uttaraṁ nyāyasambaddhaṁ bravīti vidhicoditam ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Ang tao’y nagsasagawa ng dharma sa ilalim lamang ng pagkukunwaring matuwid; hinahabol niya ang yaman sa pamamagitan ng palusot at panlilinlang. At kapag nagtagumpay ang gayong mapanlinlang na pakinabang, O ligaya ng mga Kuru, doon niya itinataya ang buo niyang talino. Pagkaraan, kahit pigilan siya ng mga kaibigang may mabuting hangarin at ng mga pantas, O Bharata, kasalanan pa rin ang ninanais niya—at sinasagot niya ang mga nagbabawal sa kanya ng mga tugong tila ‘makatarungan’ at ‘naaayon sa batas,’ na tusong hinabi mula sa wika ng mga kasulatan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that once a person normalizes deceit for gain, he begins to disguise adharma as dharma: he clings to successful wrongdoing, rejects sincere counsel, and even weaponizes scriptural language to make his actions appear justified.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhishma analyzes a moral failure-pattern: a man starts with ‘pretexts’ for righteousness, shifts to deceitful pursuit of wealth, becomes mentally invested in that success, and then answers reprovers with seemingly lawful, reasoned replies drawn from injunctions.