Shloka 28
Kṣemadarśa–Kālakavṛkṣīya Saṃvāda: Counsel on Impermanence, Non-attachment, and Composure in Dispossession
अवाप्यान् कामयन्नर्थान् नानवाप्यान् कदाचन । प्रत्युत्पन्नाननुभवन् मा शुचस्त्वमनागतान्
avāpyān kāmayann arthān nānavāpyān kadācana | pratyutpannān anubhuvan mā śucas tvam anāgatān ||
Bhishma berkata: Inginkanlah hanya tujuan dan harta yang sungguh dapat diraih; jangan sekali-kali mendambakan yang tak mungkin dicapai. Nikmatilah apa yang telah sampai ke tanganmu, dan jangan bersedih atas apa yang belum datang.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Cultivate realistic desire and inner contentment: seek what is attainable, refrain from chasing the impossible, enjoy what is presently available, and avoid anxiety or sorrow over future, not-yet-arrived outcomes.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right living, Bhishma continues advising the listener (Yudhishthira in context) on mental discipline—redirecting attention from speculative future worries to responsible engagement with what is presently within reach.