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Shloka 11

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

न तु धर्मस्य सूक्ष्मत्वाद्‌ गतिं विद्य कथंचन । अधर्मो धर्म इति वा व्यवसायो न शक्‍्यते

na tu dharmasya sūkṣmatvād gatiṁ vidma kathaṁcana | adharmo dharma iti vā vyavasāyo na śakyate ||

然而,达摩之性极其微妙,我们无论如何也不能真正洞见其行径。因此,像我们这样的人不可能确切断定此举究竟是非达摩(adharma)还是达摩。故而,婆罗门啊,我们无论如何也不能同意让克里希纳公主成为五位男子的合法妻子。

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
तुbut/however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
धर्मस्यof dharma
धर्मस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
सूक्ष्मत्वात्because of subtlety
सूक्ष्मत्वात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootसूक्ष्मत्व
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular
गतिम्course/way
गतिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
विद्यknow (you)
विद्य:
TypeVerb
Rootविद्
FormImperative, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada
कथंचनin any way/at all
कथंचन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथंचन
अधर्मःunrighteousness/adharma
अधर्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्मःdharma
धर्मः:
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus/that
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
वाor
वा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा
व्यवसायःdetermination/decision
व्यवसायः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootव्यवसाय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
शक्यतेis possible/can be done
शक्यते:
TypeVerb
Rootशक्
FormPresent, 3, Singular, Atmanepada (passive sense)

धष्टहुम्न उवाच

D
Dharma
A
Adharma
B
Brahman (addressed person)
K
Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)
F
Five men (the Pāṇḍavas, implied)

Educational Q&A

The verse stresses that dharma is subtle and difficult to judge with certainty; therefore one should be cautious about issuing definitive moral-legal verdicts, especially in unprecedented situations.

In the discussion about Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) becoming the wife of five men, the speaker refuses to give approval, arguing that it is impossible for them to decide conclusively whether such an act is dharma or adharma because dharma’s true course is extremely subtle.