Shloka 3
दीर्घदर्शी–दीर्घसूत्र–संप्रतिपत्तिमान् आख्यानम्
The Parable of Foresight, Procrastination, and Presence of Mind
धर्माधर्मफले जातु ददर्शेह न कश्नन । बुभूषेद् बलमेवैतत् सर्व बलवतो वशे,धर्म और अधर्मका फल किसीने कभी यहाँ प्रत्यक्ष नहीं देखा है। अतः राजा बलप्राप्तिके लिये प्रयत्न करे; क्योंकि यह सब जगत् बलवानके वशमें होता है
dharmādharmaphale jātu dadarśeha na kaścana | bubhūṣed balam evaitat sarvaṃ balavato vaśe ||
Bhishma said: No one in this world has ever directly seen the tangible fruits of dharma and adharma. Therefore a king should strive to acquire strength, for everything here falls under the control of the strong.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma emphasizes a hard political realism: since the fruits of dharma and adharma are not visibly and immediately verifiable in the world, a ruler must prioritize acquiring strength, because effective control and protection of the realm depend on power.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance and conduct, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on practical kingship. Here he argues that worldly affairs tend to fall under the sway of the powerful, so a king should actively build strength to rule and secure order.