Shloka 14
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
तेषामन्यतमोत्सेके विधानमुपदिश्यते । हर्षेण बाध्यते शोको हर्ष: शोकेन बाध्यते
teṣām anyatamotseke vidhānam upadiśyate | harṣeṇa bādhyate śoko harṣaḥ śokena bādhyate ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : « Lorsque l’un de ces états devient excessif, un remède est prescrit. Le chagrin est contenu par la joie, et la joie, à son tour, est contenue par le chagrin. »
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches moderation through counterbalancing mental states: when one emotion becomes excessive, it can be corrected by cultivating its opposite—joy can relieve grief, and awareness of sorrow can sober and restrain excessive elation.
In the didactic discourse of the Śānti Parva, Vaiśampāyana continues explaining practical methods for inner steadiness, stating a rule-like remedy for emotional excess: grief and joy function as mutual correctives when one dominates.