Shloka 3
Ānṛśaṃsya, Amātya-Guṇa, and Reconciliatory Counsel (आनृशंस्य–अमात्यगुण–संधि-उपदेशः)
आनृशंस्येन धर्मेण लोके हास्मिन् जिजीविषु: । नाहमेतदल कर्तु नैतत् त्वय्युपपद्यते
bhīṣma uvāca |
ānṛśaṁsyena dharmeṇa loke hāsmin jijīviṣuḥ |
na aham etad alaṁ kartuṁ na etat tvayy upapadyate ||
“আমি এই লোকেতে দয়া ও অহিংসাধর্মের আশ্রয়ে বাঁচতে চাই। আমার দ্বারা এমন অধর্মাচরণ কখনও সম্ভব নয়; আর এমন উপদেশ আপনাকেও শোভা পায় না।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Compassion (ānṛśaṁsya) is presented as a defining form of dharma: one should not adopt or recommend conduct that violates non-cruelty and moral propriety, even if it seems expedient.
Bhishma rejects a suggested course of action as adharma, stating that he intends to live by compassionate righteousness and that such advice is unfitting for the person addressing him.