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Shloka 23

Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Reconciliation and Partition (भीष्मोपदेशः—संधि-राज्यविभागविचारः)

ततो द्वैपायनस्तस्मै नरेन्द्राय महात्मने । आचख्यौ तद्‌ यथा धर्मो बहूनामेकपत्निता

tato dvaipāyanas tasmai narendrāya mahātmane | ācakhyau tad yathā dharmo bahūnām ekapatnitā ||

Rồi Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) giảng cho vị vua đại tâm ấy biết pháp tắc của chính đạo trong việc này: rằng đối với nhiều người đàn ông, việc chỉ có một người vợ (tức chế độ một vợ một chồng) được xem là hạnh kiểm đúng đắn và được thừa nhận.

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
द्वैपायनःDvaipayana (Vyasa)
द्वैपायनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्वैपायन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तस्मैto him
तस्मै:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Dative, Singular
नरेन्द्रायto the king
नरेन्द्राय:
Sampradana
TypeNoun
Rootनरेन्द्र
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
महात्मनेto the great-souled (one)
महात्मने:
Sampradana
TypeAdjective
Rootमहात्मन्
FormMasculine, Dative, Singular
आचख्यौtold, narrated
आचख्यौ:
TypeVerb
Rootआ-चक्ष्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तत्that (matter)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
यथाas, according to how
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
धर्मःdharma, law, right conduct
धर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बहूनाम्of many
बहूनाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
एकपत्निताthe state of having one wife (monogamy)
एकपत्निता:
TypeNoun
Rootएकपत्निता
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

D
Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
N
narendra (the king)

Educational Q&A

Vyāsa frames marital conduct in terms of dharma, stating that the accepted norm for many men is ekapatnitā—having one wife—presented as ethically sanctioned behavior.

Vaiśampāyana reports that Vyāsa addresses a king and explains the dharmic principle relevant to the situation, specifically the rule concerning one-wife marriage.