Shloka 18

भীমेन युधिष्ठिरस्य त्यागवृत्तेः प्रतिषेधः

Bhīma’s Rebuttal of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Inclination

Devanagari script

तस्मादिह कृतप्रज्ञास्त्यागं न परिचक्षते । धर्मव्यतिक्रमं चैव मन्यन्ते सूक्ष्मदर्शिन:

Transliteration

tasmādiha kṛtaprajñās tyāgaṃ na paricakṣate | dharmavyatikramaṃ caiva manyante sūkṣmadarśinaḥ ||

Translation

因此，就在此等情势之下，定慧之人并不称许出离与弃世。具微妙辨识者甚至认为此种出离——尤其对负有刹帝利战士之责者——反是违越法（dharma），因为它在关键时刻抛却了应尽之义务。

Word by Word

• {'tasmāt': 'therefore, for that reason', 'iha': 'here

• in this situation/context', 'kṛta-prajñāḥ': 'those whose understanding is made firm

• steady-minded, wise', 'tyāgam': 'renunciation

• giving up (of action/claims)', 'na': 'not', 'paricakṣate': 'they declare/commend

• they speak of as praiseworthy', 'dharma-vyatikramam': 'overstepping/violation of dharma

• transgression of rightful duty', 'ca eva': 'and indeed', 'manyante': 'they think/consider', 'sūkṣma-darśinaḥ': 'subtle-seeing

Speaker

भीम उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhima

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Renunciation is not automatically virtuous; when it means abandoning one’s rightful duty—especially a kṣatriya’s responsibility in a time of danger—it becomes a breach of dharma rather than a higher spiritual act.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīma argues against praising withdrawal or sannyāsa in the present circumstances, insisting that discerning people see such a move as ethically wrong because it evades the obligations demanded by the situation.