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सूक्ष्मः धर्मः महाराज न अस्य विद्मः वयं गतिम्sūkṣmaḥ dharmaḥ mahārāja na asya vidmaḥ vayaṃ gatim"Subtle is dharma, O great king, we do not know its course;
पूर्वेषाम् आनुपूर्व्येण यातं वर्त्म अनुयामहेpūrveṣām ānupūrvyeṇa yātaṃ vartma anuyāmahethe path walked by our forefathers in succession, we follow;
न मे वाक् अनृतं प्राह न अधर्मे धीयते मतिःna me vāk anṛtaṃ prāha na adharme dhīyate matiḥmy speech has not uttered falsehood, and my mind does not rest on unrighteousness;
एवं च एव वदति अम्बा मम च एव मनोगतम्evaṃ ca eva vadati ambā mama ca eva manogatamand so too says my mother, and such is my own inner conviction;
एषः धर्मः ध्रुवः राजन् चर एनम् अविचारयन्eṣaḥ dharmaḥ dhruvaḥ rājan cara enam avicārayanthis is dharma unshakable, O king; do it without doubting,
मा च ते अत्र विशङ्का भूत् कथं चित् अपि पार्थिवmā ca te atra viśaṅkā bhūt kathaṃ cit api pārthivaand let there be no hesitation in you here, in any way, O lord of the earth";
युधिष्ठिरyudhiṣṭhiraoriginal form "yudhiṣṭhira", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सूक्ष्मोsūkṣmooriginal form "sūkṣmo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
धर्मोdharmooriginal form "dharmo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नास्यnāsyaoriginal form "nāsya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विद्मोvidmooriginal form "vidmo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वर्त्मानुयामहेvartmānuyāmaheoriginal form "vartmānuyāmahe", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वाग्vāgoriginal form "vāg", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाधर्मेnādharmeoriginal form "nādharme", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वदत्य्vadatyoriginal form "vadaty", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चैवcaivaoriginal form "caiva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एषeṣaoriginal form "eṣa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
धर्मोdharmooriginal form "dharmo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ध्रुवोdhruvooriginal form "dhruvo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राजंश्rājaṃśoriginal form "rājaṃś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चरैनम्carainamoriginal form "carainam", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽत्र'traoriginal form "'tra", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चिद्cidoriginal form "cid", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Here Yudhishthira appeals to the subtlety of dharma, which surpasses the letter of the law. Telling is the saying: "subtle is dharma, we do not know its course" — there are decrees of Providence that exceed the ordinary rule, and they are grasped only by a pure heart and the word of the saints. Yudhishthira rests on three supports: the path of the forefathers, his mother's word, and the unfailing witness of his own conscience, which knows no falsehood. It must be remembered: this is not license to transgress the law at one's own will, but a humble recognition that in a rare case a higher will leads otherwise. It is shown here that the final measure is not private judgment but the voice of scripture through a saint; hence the matter is deferred to Vyasa. So scripture reveals reverent humility before the unfathomable nature of dharma; and the truth awaits utterance from the lips of one who knows.