Shloka 139
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
एवमेवोपभोगेषु भोजनाच्छादनेषु च । गुणेषु परिमेयेषु निग्रहानुग्रहं प्रति
evamevopabhogeṣu bhojanācchādaneṣu ca | guṇeṣu parimeyeṣu nigrahānugrahaṁ prati ||
ພີສະມະ ກ່າວວ່າ: “ດັ່ງນັ້ນແຫຼະ ໃນເລື່ອງການເສບສຸກ—ອາຫານ, ເຄື່ອງນຸ່ງຫົ່ມ, ແລະຄວາມສະດວກສະບາຍອື່ນໆທີ່ມີຂອບເຂດ ແລະວັດໄດ້—ກະສັດບໍ່ແມ່ນຜູ້ເສລີແທ້. ທັງໃນພາລະກິດຄູ່ກັນ ຄື ການຂົ່ມຂູ່ຄົນຊົ່ວ ແລະການເອື້ອເຟື້ອຕໍ່ຜູ້ດີ ລາວກໍຕ້ອງກະທຳພາຍໃຕ້ຂໍ້ຈຳກັດ. ແມ່ນແຕ່ໃນວຽກນ້ອຍໆທີ່ເຫັນຄືວ່າມີທາງເລືອກ ລາວກໍຍັງຖືກຜູກມັດໂດຍຄວາມຍຶດຕິດ ແລະຄວາມຈຳເປັນ. ແລ້ວໃນການເຮັດສັນຕິພາບ ຫຼືເປີດສົງຄາມ ອິດສະລະພາບແທ້ຂອງກະສັດຢູ່ໃສ?”
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s apparent power is bounded by dharma, practical necessity, and the welfare of subjects; even pleasures, punishments, rewards, and decisions of peace or war are not matters of personal whim but constrained duties requiring restraint and discernment.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma continues advising the ruler (Yudhishthira) that royal authority is limited: the king must regulate personal enjoyments and govern through measured punishment and benevolence, and even major policies like treaty or conflict are shaped by circumstances and obligation.