Shloka 21
Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā
Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving
यदेवमनुजातस्य धातारो विदधु: पुरा । तदेवानुचरिष्यामि किं मे मृत्यु: करिष्यति
yad evam anujātasya dhātāro vidadhuḥ purā | tad evānucariṣyāmi kiṁ me mṛtyuḥ kariṣyati ||
ビーシュマは言った。「生の端緒において、宇宙の定め手が私のために定めた掟があるなら、私は生まれてこのかた、それのみを歩んできた。これからもそれに従う。ならば、死は私に何ができようか。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Steadfast adherence to one’s ordained dharma and life-course removes fear of death: when one acts in alignment with the dispensation set by the cosmic order, death loses its power to intimidate.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma speaks from his bed of arrows, expressing unwavering resolve: he has lived according to what was ordained for him and will continue so, declaring that death cannot shake him.