Shloka 20
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
तस्मिन्नाकुशलं ब्रूयान्न शुष्कामीरयेद् गिरम् । क्षत्रियो बाहुवीयेंण तरेदापदमात्मन:
tasminn ākuśalaṃ brūyān na śuṣkām īrayed giram | kṣatriyo bāhuvīryeṇa tared āpadam ātmanaḥ ||
Dalam keadaan demikian, hendaknya seseorang mengucapkan kata-kata yang membawa kebaikan, dan tidak melontarkan ucapan yang kering serta tanpa tujuan. Seorang kṣatriya harus, dengan kekuatan lengan dan keberaniannya, menyeberangi malapetaka yang menimpa dirinya sendiri.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Speak only what is truly beneficial in a difficult context, avoiding empty talk; and for a kṣatriya, the proper response to danger is courageous, practical action—surmounting adversity through one’s own strength and resolve.
Bhīṣma, in the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, gives counsel on how one should behave in times of trouble: restrain speech to what helps, and uphold the kṣatriya ideal of meeting संकट (āpad) with valor rather than mere words.