Shloka 6
Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā
Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving
संतापाद् भ्रश्यते चायुर्धर्मश्वैव सुरेश्वर । इन्द्र! इसीलिये मैं शोक नहीं करता; क्योंकि यह सम्पूर्ण वैभव नाशवान् है। संताप करनेसे रूपका नाश होता है। संतापसे कान्ति फीकी पड़ जाती है और सुरेश्वर! संतापसे आयु तथा धर्मका भी नाश होता है ।।
santāpād bhraśyate cāyur dharmaś caiva sureśvara | indra! tasmān na śocāmi, yato hy etad vibhūtikam | sarvam etad anityam hi | santāpāt rūpanāśaḥ, santāpāt kāntir apaiti, sureśvara! santāpād āyuś ca dharmaś ca praṇaśyataḥ || vinīya khalu tad duḥkham āgataṃ vaimanasyajam ||
Bhīṣma dijo: «Oh señor de los dioses, oh Indra: por eso no me aflijo, pues todo este esplendor es perecedero. Por el tormento interior se arruina la belleza; por el tormento se apaga el resplandor. Y, oh soberano de los dioses, por el tormento disminuyen tanto la vida como el propio dharma. Por ello, debe dominarse ese dolor nacido del abatimiento.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that grief-born agitation (santāpa) is ethically and practically harmful: it erodes one’s radiance and health, shortens life, and weakens dharma. Since worldly splendor is impermanent, one should restrain sorrow rather than be consumed by it.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Bhishma addresses Indra and explains why he does not indulge in lamentation: prosperity and power are transient, and mental torment leads to decline in beauty, vitality, and righteousness. He urges the disciplining of sorrow arising from dejection.