Shloka 28
Mantri-Parīkṣā — Testing Ministers, Securing Counsel, and Ethical Criteria for Advisers (अध्याय ८४)
यो वाप्यस्थिरसंकल्पो बुद्धिमानागतागम: । उपायज्ञोडपि नाल॑ स कर्म प्रापयितुं चिरम्
yo vāpy asthira-saṅkalpo buddhimān āgata-āgamaḥ | upāya-jño 'pi nālaṃ sa karma prāpayituṃ ciram ||
Bhishma said: Even if a man is intelligent, well-versed in the scriptures and traditions, and skilled in practical means, if his resolve is unsteady he is still not capable of bringing any undertaking to completion—even over a long time.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steady resolve (sthira-saṅkalpa) is essential for success and for living dharmically; intelligence, scriptural learning, and clever methods cannot compensate for a wavering will.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and effective governance. Here he emphasizes a practical moral lesson: without firmness of purpose, even a capable and learned person fails to complete tasks.