Shloka 10
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
भवते*हं ददानीदं भवानेतत् प्रयच्छतु । रुचितो वर्तते धर्मो न बलात् सम्प्रवर्तते
bhavate ’haṃ dadānīdaṃ bhavān etat prayacchatu | rucito vartate dharmo na balāt sampravartate ||
Sinabi ni Bhishma: “ ‘Ibinibigay ko ito sa iyo; at ikaw naman, bilang kapalit, ibigay mo iyon sa akin.’ Kapag ang palitan ng mga bagay ay nagaganap sa kusang-loob na pagnanais at pagsang-ayon ng dalawang panig, ito’y itinuturing na dharma (matuwid at marangal na pakikipagpalitan). Ngunit kung ang palitan ay ipinipilit sa pamamagitan ng pamimilit, hindi iyon dharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A transaction becomes dharma only when it is based on mutual consent and willingness; coercion cannot produce a righteous or lawful exchange.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he defines a fair exchange: one party offers something and the other reciprocates, but the legitimacy of the exchange depends on both parties’ voluntary agreement rather than force.