Shloka 10
राज्ञो वृत्त-गुण-संग्रहः (Conduct and the Thirty-Six Virtues of a King) / The King’s Code of Conduct
सेवेत प्रणयं हित्वा दक्ष: स्यान्न त्वकालवित् । सान्त्वयेन्न च मोक्षाय अनुगह्नन्न चाक्षिपेत्
bhīṣma uvāca | seveta praṇayaṃ hitvā dakṣaḥ syān na tv akālavit | sāntvayen na ca mokṣāya anugṛhṇan na cākṣipet ||
Bhishma berkata: Peliharalah hubungan baik tanpa menjadi budak keterikatan. Jadilah cakap dalam bertindak, namun jangan buta terhadap saat yang tepat. Jangan memberi penghiburan atau janji hanya untuk melepaskan diri dari kewajiban. Dan ketika memberi anugerah atau pertolongan, jangan menyertakannya dengan celaan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches balanced ethical conduct: do not let personal attachment distort duty; be competent and also sensitive to timing; do not console others merely to escape responsibility; and when helping, avoid reproach—aid should not humiliate the recipient.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on refined standards of behavior—how a responsible person (especially a ruler or counselor) should manage relationships, act with timely judgment, speak sincerely, and show kindness without insult.