Shloka 35
Chapter 81: Trust, Allies, and the Qualifications of the King’s Artha-Secretary (अर्थसचिव)
निकृतस्य नरैरन्यैज्ञातिरेव परायणम् । नान्यैनिकारं सहते ज्ञातिज्ञािति: कथठ्चन
nikṛtasya narair anyair jñātir eva parāyaṇam | nānyanikāraṃ sahate jñātijñātiḥ kathaṃcana ||
Bhishma dit : «Lorsqu’un homme est opprimé ou lésé par autrui, ses propres parents seuls deviennent son véritable refuge. Si des étrangers insultent ou soumettent quelqu’un de leur lignée, les hommes de ce clan ne peuvent supporter un tel affront d’aucune manière.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
In times of oppression by outsiders, one’s primary refuge is one’s own kin; shared lineage creates a moral duty to protect honor and resist humiliation inflicted from outside.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and social conduct, Bhishma explains to the listener that family/lineage solidarity naturally asserts itself when a member is wronged or insulted by others.