Shloka 9
कर्शयाम: स्वमित्राणि नन्दयामश्न शात्रवान् । आत्मानं भवतां शास्त्रैर्नियम्य भरतर्षभ,“भरतकुलभूषण! आपके शासनसे अपने-आपको नियन्त्रणमें रखकर आज हमलोग अपने मित्रोंको दुःखी और शत्रुओंको सुखी बना रहे हैं
karśayāmaḥ sva-mitrāṇi nandayāmaś ca śātravān | ātmānaṃ bhavatāṃ śāstrair niyamya bharatarṣabha ||
Wahai banteng di antara kaum Bharata, dengan mengekang diri menurut titahmu dan ketentuan śāstra, hari ini kami justru menyusahkan sahabat-sahabat kami dan menggembirakan musuh-musuh kami.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic tension: strict self-restraint under royal/śāstric discipline can demand painful sacrifices, even to the point that one’s own allies suffer while adversaries benefit. It underscores that dharma is not always immediately rewarding and may require enduring short-term loss for principled conduct.
Vaiśampāyana reports a complaint or reflection addressed to a Bharata ruler: the speakers say that, because they are controlling themselves according to his commands and śāstric norms, their current course of action ends up harming their friends and pleasing their enemies—indicating a politically and ethically strained situation.