Shloka 22
अम्बोपाख्याने तापसानां विचारः तथा होत्रवाहनस्य उपदेशः
Ambā among ascetics; Hotravāhana directs her to Paraśurāma
त्वया त्यक्ता गमिष्यामि यत्र तत्र विशाम्पते । तत्र मे गतय: सन्तु सन्त: सत्यं यथा ध्रुवम्
tvayā tyaktā gamiṣyāmi yatra tatra viśāmpate | tatra me gatayaḥ santu santaḥ satyaṃ yathā dhruvam ||
হে প্রজাপতি! যদি আমার বলা কথা নিশ্চিত সত্য হয়, তবে তোমার দ্বারা পরিত্যক্ত হয়ে আমি যেখানে-সেখানে যাই, সেখানে-সেখানে সজ্জনেরা আমার আশ্রয় হোক—যেমন সত্য অচল।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truth and righteousness are presented as stable supports: if one’s statement is true and one acts in alignment with dharma, then even if abandoned by worldly authority, the ‘good’ (santaḥ) become one’s refuge and uphold one’s path.
Bhishma addresses a king (viśāmpati) with a conditional blessing/appeal: if his words are certainly true, then even if the king rejects him, wherever he goes he should find support and shelter among virtuous people, grounded in the firmness of truth.