Shloka 18
The Thirteen Inner Adversaries (Trayodaśa Doṣāḥ): Origins and Pacification
तदहं बुद्धिमास्थाय भयं मोक्ष्ये समीरणात् | यदि तां बुद्धिमास्थाय तिष्ठेयु: पर्णिनो वने
tadahaṁ buddhim āsthāya bhayaṁ mokṣye samīraṇāt | yadi tāṁ buddhim āsthāya tiṣṭheyuḥ parṇino vane ||
Karena itu, dengan bersandar pada kebijaksanaan, aku akan melepaskan rasa takut terhadap angin. Jika dengan pemahaman yang sama pohon-pohon berdaun dapat tetap tegak di rimba, maka aku pun dapat.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fear is overcome by buddhi—steady discernment. By anchoring the mind in clear understanding, one becomes unmoved by external disturbances, just as trees endure the wind.
Bhīṣma uses a natural image—leafy trees standing in a forest despite the wind—to illustrate how he (and by extension a disciplined person) can remain steady and free from fear by relying on firm understanding.