Shloka 14
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
तेषामन्यतमोत्सेके विधानमुपदिश्यते । हर्षेण बाध्यते शोको हर्ष: शोकेन बाध्यते
teṣām anyatamotseke vidhānam upadiśyate | harṣeṇa bādhyate śoko harṣaḥ śokena bādhyate ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Bila salah satu dari keadaan ini menjadi berlebihan, ditetapkanlah penawarnya. Duka diredam oleh suka-cita, dan suka-cita pun pada gilirannya diredam oleh duka.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches moderation through counterbalancing mental states: when one emotion becomes excessive, it can be corrected by cultivating its opposite—joy can relieve grief, and awareness of sorrow can sober and restrain excessive elation.
In the didactic discourse of the Śānti Parva, Vaiśampāyana continues explaining practical methods for inner steadiness, stating a rule-like remedy for emotional excess: grief and joy function as mutual correctives when one dominates.