Shloka 16
Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā
Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving
यमर्थसिद्धि: परमा न मोहयेत् तथैव काले व्यसनं न मोहयेत् । सुखं च दुःखं च तथैव मध्यमं निषेवते यः स धुरंधरो नर:
bhīṣma uvāca | yamārthasiddhiḥ paramā na mohayet tathaiva kāle vyasanaṃ na mohayet | sukhaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca tathaiva madhyamaṃ niṣevate yaḥ sa dhuraṃdharo naraḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Orang yang bahkan oleh pencapaian duniawi tertinggi tidak diperdaya, dan yang oleh kesukaran yang datang pada waktunya tidak diguncang; yang menyambut nikmat, derita, dan keadaan di antara keduanya dengan sikap yang sama—dialah seorang dhurandhara, manusia unggul yang sanggup memikul beban besar kewajiban.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A truly capable person is not intoxicated by success nor shattered by adversity; he maintains equanimity toward pleasure, pain, and neutral circumstances, and thus is fit to bear great duties and responsibilities.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct and statecraft-like virtues, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by defining the qualities of a ‘dhuraṃdhara’—a person competent to carry heavy burdens—highlighting steadiness of mind amid changing fortunes.