Shloka 45
न वित्तेन न पारुष्यैर्न सान्त्वेन न च श्रुतै: । कोपाग्नि: शाम्यते राज॑स्तोयाग्निरिव सागरे,राजन्! जिस प्रकार बडवानल समुद्रमें किसी तरह शान्त नहीं होता, उसी प्रकार क्रोधाग्नि भी न धनसे, न कठोरता दिखानेसे, न मीठे वचनों द्वारा समझाने-बुझानेसे और न शास्त्रज्ञानसे ही शान्त होती है
brahmadatta uvāca |
na vittena na pāruṣyair na sāntvena na ca śrutaiḥ |
kopa-agniḥ śāmyate rājan toyāgnir iva sāgare ||
O King, the fire of anger is not quenched by wealth, nor by harsh measures, nor by gentle conciliation, nor even by learning from sacred teachings. Like the submarine fire that burns within the ocean and is not stilled by its waters, anger too resists ordinary remedies.
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
Anger is portrayed as a self-sustaining inner fire that does not subside through external fixes—wealth, intimidation, sweet talk, or even mere learning. The implied counsel is to cultivate inner restraint and uproot anger’s causes rather than relying on situational tactics.
In a didactic exchange within Śānti Parva, Brahmadatta addresses a king and uses the famous image of the submarine fire in the ocean to emphasize how difficult it is to pacify anger once it flares, thereby instructing the ruler on the necessity of self-mastery.