Shloka 14
Śīla-prāpti and Śīla-lakṣaṇa (शीलप्राप्ति-शीललक्षणम्) | On the Acquisition and Marks of Character
अधर्म धर्म इति च योऊज्ञानादाचरेन्नर: । तं॑ चापि प्रथितं लोके कथं राजा निवर्तयेत्
adharma dharma iti ca yo'jñānād ācarennaraḥ | taṃ cāpi prathitaṃ loke kathaṃ rājā nivartayet ||
毗湿摩说道：“若有人因无明而行不义，却以为是正法；且此人又在世间声名显赫、备受敬重，那么国王当如何使他回头，离开那不义之途？”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when wrongdoing is committed under the sincere belief that it is dharma—especially by a socially respected person—the king still bears responsibility to correct it. The verse highlights the difficulty of enforcing dharma when ignorance is protected by public prestige.
In Bhishma’s instruction on rājadharma in the Śānti Parva, he raises a practical problem of governance: how a ruler can restrain a renowned man who, through ignorance, practices adharma while claiming it to be dharma.