Shloka 34
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
न संशयमनारुहा[ नरो भद्राणि पश्यति । संशयं पुनरारुह्य यदि जीवति पश्यति,“जहाँ प्राणोंका संशय हो, ऐसे कष्टको स्वीकार किये बिना मनुष्य कल्याणका दर्शन नहीं कर पाता। प्राण-संकटमें पड़ कर यदि वह पुनः जीवित रह जाता है तो अपना भला देखता है
na saṁśayam anāruhya naro bhadrāṇi paśyati | saṁśayaṁ punar āruhya yadi jīvati paśyati ||
Bhishma said: “A man does not come to see what is truly auspicious without first mounting the ground of peril and uncertainty. But if, having entered that life-threatening crisis, he survives and returns, then he comes to recognize his own good—what is beneficial and worth preserving.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Welfare and true good are often recognized only after one has faced real danger and uncertainty; surviving a crisis clarifies values and reveals what is genuinely beneficial.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma offers a reflective maxim: hardship—especially a life-threatening predicament—functions as a proving ground that enables a person to perceive and appreciate what is truly good.