Shloka 27
मोक्षोपाय-निर्णयः
Determination of the Means to Liberation
आत्मानमसमाधाय समाधित्सति यः परान् | विषयेष्विन्द्रियवशं मानवा: प्रहसन्ति तम्
ātmānam asamādhāya samādhitsati yaḥ parān | viṣayeṣv indriyavaśaṃ mānavāḥ prahasanti tam ||
হুমৎসেন বললেন—যে নিজেকে সংযত করতে পারেনি, যার চিত্ত অস্থির এবং যে বিষয়ভোগে ইন্দ্রিয়ের দাস—সে যদি অন্যকে সংযম ও সদাচারের উপদেশ দেয়, তবে লোকেরা তাকে উপহাস করে।
हुमत्सेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral instruction gains authority only when grounded in personal discipline. One who is ruled by sense-pleasures and lacks inner composure cannot credibly teach restraint or dharma; such preaching invites ridicule.
Humatsena is offering an ethical observation within the Shanti Parva’s didactic discourse: he contrasts outward preaching with inward mastery, warning that a person (especially a ruler) who cannot govern himself cannot effectively guide others.