Shloka 17
Book 12, Chapter 93 — Vāmadeva’s Counsel to King Vasumanā on Dharmic Kingship (धर्मप्रधान-राजधर्मोपदेशः)
अथ मानयितुर्दाम्न: श्लक्षणस्य वशवर्तिन: । व्यसन स्वमिवोत्पन्नं विजिघांसन्ति मानवा:
atha mānayitur dāmnaḥ ślakṣṇasya vaśavartinaḥ | vyasanaṃ svam ivotpannaṃ vijighāṃsanti mānavāḥ ||
যে সকলকে সম্মান করে, দানশীল, স্বভাবমাধুর্যে কোমল, এবং অন্যদের কথা ভেবে তাদের অনুকূলে চলে—তার ওপর যদি কোনো বিপদ আসে, তবে লোকেরা তাকে নিজেরই দুর্দশা মনে করে তা দূর করতে চেষ্টা করে।
वामदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person who consistently respects others, gives generously, and behaves gently earns collective goodwill; therefore, when adversity strikes him, society naturally rallies to help, treating his distress as their own.
Vāmadeva is describing a moral principle in the Shānti Parva: the social and ethical consequences of virtuous conduct—how a beneficent, considerate person becomes protected by the affection and support of others in times of crisis.