Shloka 24
राजधर्मः—राष्ट्ररक्षणं, दण्डनीतिः, हयग्रीवोपाख्यानम्
Royal Duty: Protection, Penal Policy, and the Hayagrīva Exemplum
इस प्रकार श्रीमह्ाभारत शान्तिपर्वके अन्तर्गत राजधर्मानुशासनपर्वमें व्यासवाक्यविषयक चौबीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,सुखमेव हि दुःखान्तं कदाचिद् दुःखत: सुखम् | तस्मादेतद् द्ववं जह्माद् य इच्छेच्छाश्वतं सुखम्
sukham eva hi duḥkhāntaṃ kadācid duḥkhataḥ sukham | tasmād etad dvandvaṃ jahyād ya icchec chāśvataṃ sukham ||
কখনও সুখই দুঃখের পরিণতি হয়, আবার কখনও দুঃখ থেকেই সুখের উদ্ভব ঘটে। অতএব যে চিরস্থায়ী মঙ্গল কামনা করে, সে সুখ-দুঃখের এই দ্বন্দ্ব ত্যাগ করে উভয়ের মধ্যেই সমভাবে স্থির থাকবে।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Pleasure and pain are unstable and can transform into each other; therefore, the seeker of lasting good should relinquish attachment to these dualities and cultivate steadiness (equanimity).
Vaiśampāyana concludes a section within the Śānti Parva’s Rājadharmānuśāsana material, summarizing the ethical point that a ruler or aspirant should not be swayed by alternating happiness and sorrow.