Shloka 13
Devaśarmā–Vipula Dialogue on Ahorātra–Ṛtu as Moral Witnesses (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय ४३)
नतासां रक्षणं शक््यं कर्तु पुंसां कथंचन
natāsāṃ rakṣaṇaṃ śakyaṃ kartuṃ puṃsāṃ kathaṃcana
Bhishma berkata: “Mereka yang telah berserah diri dan sepenuhnya bergantung pada perlindungan orang lain—melindungi mereka dengan kepastian bukanlah sesuatu yang dapat dilakukan manusia dengan cara apa pun; maka hendaklah bertindak dengan rendah hati, waspada, dan penuh tanggung jawab, bukan dengan keangkuhan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma emphasizes that guaranteeing the safety of those who surrender and become dependent is not fully within human control; therefore, one must avoid arrogance, recognize limits, and treat the duty of protection as a grave moral responsibility requiring constant care.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma is speaking in a didactic mode, reflecting on the practical and ethical realities of protection and guardianship—especially the heavy burden incurred when others entrust their safety to someone.