Shloka 16
Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)
अल्पेनापि च संयुक्तस्तुष्यत्येव नराधिप: । शुद्ध जीवितमेवापि तादृशो बहु मन्यते,राजा थोड़े-से लाभसे भी संयुक्त होनेपर संतुष्ट हो जाता है। वैसा नरेश निर्दोष जीवनको ही बहुत अधिक महत्त्व देता है
alpenāpi ca saṁyuktas tuṣṭy eva narādhipaḥ | śuddha-jīvitam evāpi tādṛśo bahu manyate ||
Dijo Bhishma: Aun cuando obtiene poco, un rey permanece satisfecho. Tal soberano considera que un modo de vida puro e irreprochable es en sí mismo una gran ganancia, y valora la integridad por encima de la acumulación.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A righteous ruler practices contentment: even small gains are enough, and the greatest ‘profit’ is a pure, blameless life. The verse elevates integrity and clean conduct above wealth and expansion.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and dharma, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira about the qualities of an ideal king. Here he highlights the king’s inner discipline—contentment and commitment to a faultless way of life.