Shloka 188
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
नास्थिरा स्वप्रतिज्ञायां नासमीक्ष्य प्रवादिनी । नासमीक्ष्यागता चेह त्वत्सकाशं जनाधिप
nāsthirā svapratijñāyāṃ nāsamīkṣya pravādinī | nāsamīkṣyāgatā ceha tvatsakāśaṃ janādhipa ||
Bhīṣma said: “I do not waver from my own vow. I do not speak without due reflection; and I have not come here into your presence, O lord of men, without careful consideration.”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steadfastness in one’s pledged word and restraint in speech: a person committed to dharma should not abandon a vow lightly, and should speak only after careful reflection, especially in matters affecting rulers and public welfare.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma addresses a king, asserting his reliability: he is firm in his vow, does not speak impulsively, and has approached the king only after deliberate thought—establishing moral authority for the counsel that follows.