Shloka 43
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
न चेदमचलं स्थानमनन्तं वापि कस्यचित् । त्वं तु बालिशया बुद्धया ममेदमिति मन््यसे
na cedam acalaṁ sthānam anantaṁ vāpi kasyacit | tvaṁ tu bāliśayā buddhyā mamedam iti manyase ||
Kedudukan ini tidaklah tak tergoyahkan, dan tidak pula abadi bagi siapa pun. Namun engkau, dengan budi yang kekanak-kanakan dan tersesat, membayangkan, “Ini milikku.” Bahkan kedaulatan Indra pun tak pernah terbukti tetap; banyak yang pernah mendudukinya lalu berlalu. Maka jangan melekat pada kuasa sebagai milik; kenalilah kefanaannya dan bertindaklah dengan kerendahan hati serta dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Positions of authority are transient; claiming them as ‘mine’ is delusion. One should rule or act without possessiveness, with humility and adherence to dharma.
Bhishma admonishes a proud ruler (implicitly one who identifies with high office, like Indra’s status) by reminding him that no post is permanent; many have held such power and departed, so arrogance and possessiveness are misguided.