Shloka 21
Adhyāya 90 — Protection of Livelihoods, Brahmanical Subsistence Norms, and Royal Oversight (राष्ट्रवृत्ति-राष्ट्रगुप्ति-उपदेशः)
भीष्म उवाच यच्चरा हाचरानद्युरदंष्टान् दंष्टिणस्तथा । आशीविषा इव क्ुद्धा भुजजड़ान् भुजगा इव
bhīṣma uvāca | yac carāḥ ācarān adyur adaṃṣṭrān daṃṣṭinaḥ tathā | āśīviṣā iva kruddhā bhujaṅgān bhujaṅgā iva ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai raja! Sebagaimana makhluk yang bergerak menguasai yang tak bergerak, dan yang bertaring memangsa yang tak bertaring; demikian pula ular-ular berbisa yang murka menelan ular lainnya. Begitulah, oleh hukum alam yang keras, yang kuat menundukkan banyak yang lemah.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma illustrates a grim natural tendency: the strong prey upon or dominate the weak. In the ethical context of Shanti Parva, this observation supports the need for righteous kingship and dharma-based restraint—so that power does not become mere predation.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on statecraft and dharma, Bhishma addresses the king and uses vivid analogies (moving vs. non-moving beings, fanged vs. fangless, venomous snakes devouring snakes) to explain how domination arises naturally unless checked by just rule.