Shloka 76
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
पूजन्युवाच यस्येह व्रणिनौ पादौ पद्भ्यां च परिसर्पति । खन््येते तस्य तौ पादौ सुगुप्तमिह धावत:
pūjany uvāca yasyeha vraṇinau pādau padbhyāṃ ca parisarpati | khanyete tasya tau pādau sugupatam iha dhāvataḥ ||
Pūjanī dit : «Ô roi, si les deux pieds d’un homme sont blessés et qu’il continue pourtant à marcher avec ces mêmes pieds, quelque prudence qu’il mette à avancer, tant qu’il court çà et là en ce monde, ses pieds seront de nouveau meurtris, encore et encore.»
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person should not persist in the very course of action that keeps aggravating an existing harm; even careful continuation of a harmful pattern tends to reopen wounds. The verse urges restraint and a change of conduct rather than merely ‘managing’ damage.
Pūjanī addresses a king and uses a vivid analogy: someone with wounded feet who still keeps moving with them will inevitably suffer repeated injury. The image functions as counsel—warning the ruler about the futility of continuing a damaging pursuit even with caution.