Shloka 23
भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या
Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa
जात्यैवैके सुखितरा: सन्त्यन्ये भृुशदु:खिता: । नैकान्तं सुखमेवेह क्वचित्पश्यामि कस्यचित्
jātyaivaike sukhitarāḥ santyanye bhṛśa-duḥkhitāḥ | naikāntaṃ sukhameveha kvacit paśyāmi kasyacit ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Par leur naissance même et leur espèce, certains êtres sont relativement heureux, tandis que d’autres, par cette même condition, sont cruellement affligés. Pourtant, en ce monde, je ne vois nulle part quelqu’un dont le lot ne soit qu’un bonheur sans mélange.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Happiness and suffering are distributed unevenly across beings due to their birth and condition, but no one in the world enjoys perfectly unmixed, uninterrupted happiness; recognizing this supports sobriety, patience, and detachment.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and life’s realities, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira by observing the world’s unequal allotment of pleasure and pain and emphasizing that absolute happiness is not found for any being.