Shloka 50
Śakra–Namuci-saṃvāda: Śoka-nivāraṇa and Daiva-vicāra
Indra and Namuci on grief, composure, and inevitability
भीष्म उवाच अपि च भवति मैथिलेन गीत॑ नगरमुपाहितमग्निनाभिवीक्ष्य । न खलु मम हि दह्दातेअत्र किंचित् स्वयमिदमाह किल सम भूमिपाल:,भीष्मजी कहते हैं--राजन्! स्वयं आचार्य पंचशिखके बताये हुए इस अमृतमय ज्ञानोपदेशको सुनकर राजा जनक एक निश्चित सिद्धान्तपर पहुँच गये और सारी बातोंपर विचार करके शोकरहित हो बड़े सुखसे रहने लगे; फिर तो उनकी स्थिति ही कुछ और हो गयी। एक बार उन मिथिलानरेश राजा जनकने मिथिला-नगरीको आगसे जलती देखकर स्वयं यह उदगार प्रकट किया था कि इस नगरके जलनेसे मेरा कुछ भी नहीं जलता है
bhīṣma uvāca | api ca bhavati maithilena gītaṃ nagaram upāhitaṃ agninābhivīkṣya | na khalu mama hi dahyate ’tra kiṃcit | svayam idam āha kila sa bhūmipālaḥ ||
Bhishma said: “Moreover, there is this well-known utterance of the king of Mithilā. Seeing his city set ablaze by fire, he declared: ‘In truth, nothing of mine is being burned here.’ Thus, that ruler spoke—illustrating the stance of inner non-attachment even amid outward loss.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights inner non-attachment: even if external possessions (like a city) are destroyed, one who does not identify the Self with property remains unshaken—‘nothing of mine is burned.’
Bhishma cites a famous incident about King Janaka of Mithilā: when Janaka sees his city burning, he calmly states that nothing belonging to his true self is being destroyed, exemplifying detachment amid crisis.