Shloka 43
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
न चेदमचलं स्थानमनन्तं वापि कस्यचित् । त्वं तु बालिशया बुद्धया ममेदमिति मन््यसे
na cedam acalaṁ sthānam anantaṁ vāpi kasyacit | tvaṁ tu bāliśayā buddhyā mamedam iti manyase ||
Bhishma dijo: Este puesto no es inconmovible, ni es interminable para nadie. Y, sin embargo, tú, con entendimiento infantil y extraviado, imaginas: «Esto es mío». Ni siquiera la soberanía de Indra ha demostrado ser permanente; muchos la han ostentado y han pasado. Por eso, no te aferres al poder como si fuera posesión: reconoce su transitoriedad y obra con humildad y conforme al dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Positions of authority are transient; claiming them as ‘mine’ is delusion. One should rule or act without possessiveness, with humility and adherence to dharma.
Bhishma admonishes a proud ruler (implicitly one who identifies with high office, like Indra’s status) by reminding him that no post is permanent; many have held such power and departed, so arrogance and possessiveness are misguided.