Shloka 5
उपवासविधि-प्रश्नः
Inquiry into the Discipline of Fasting
प्रत्यक्ष भिन्नहृदया भेदयेयु: कृतं नरा: । श्रियाभितप्ता: कौन्तेय भेदकामास्तथारय:
pratyakṣa-bhinnahṛdayā bhedayeyuḥ kṛtaṃ narāḥ | śriyābhitaptāḥ kaunteya bhedakāmās tathārayāḥ ||
Dijo Bhishma: «Si el hermano mayor inflige abiertamente castigo por una falta, los corazones de los hermanos menores quedan desgarrados y heridos; y ellos divulgan entre la gente ese trato áspero. Al ver su prosperidad, muchos enemigos—abrasados por la envidia, oh hijo de Kunti—empiezan a desear y a intentar sembrar la discordia entre ellos.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Discipline should be administered with discretion: public, harsh punishment within a family can fracture hearts and invite outsiders—especially envious enemies—to exploit the resulting resentment and create lasting divisions.
In Bhishma’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira on conduct and governance, he warns that when an elder brother punishes a younger brother openly, the younger may feel humiliated and publicize the grievance; this makes the family vulnerable to enemies who, jealous of their prosperity, seek to foment discord.