अध्याय २२० — बलिवासवसंवादः
Bali–Vāsava Dialogue on Kāla and Steadfastness
अभयं यस्य भूतेभ्य: सर्वेषामभयं यत: । नमस्य: सर्वभूतानां दान्तो भवति बुद्धिमान्
abhayaṁ yasya bhūtebhyaḥ sarveṣām abhayaṁ yataḥ | namasyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ dānto bhavati buddhimān ||
Bhishma dijo: La persona sabia y dueña de sí, que no teme a ningún ser —y de quien, a su vez, todos los seres quedan libres de temor— se vuelve digna de reverencia para toda criatura viviente. Tal cual encarna el dharma no por la fuerza, sino haciendo que el mundo a su alrededor se sienta seguro.
भीष्म उवाच
True wisdom and discipline are shown by creating fearlessness: one should be harmless and steady so that all beings feel safe in one’s presence; such a person naturally becomes worthy of universal respect.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma after the war, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by describing the marks of a virtuous person—here, the one whose self-restraint and non-threatening conduct remove fear from others.