Shloka 26
Gaṇānāṃ Vṛttiḥ — On the Sustenance and Cohesion of Assemblies
Gaṇa-nīti
तेषामन्योन्यभिन्नानां स्वशक्तिमनुतिष्ठताम्
teṣām anyonya-bhinnānāṁ svaśaktim anutiṣṭhatām
ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“പരസ്പരം വ്യത്യസ്തരായവരിൽ, ഓരോരുത്തനും തന്റെ ശേഷിക്കും തന്റെ സ്ഥാനധർമ്മത്തിനും അനുസരിച്ച് നിലകൊള്ളുമ്പോൾ, …”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line emphasizes svadharma in a practical sense: people differ in nature and station, so ethical conduct is to perform one’s responsibilities in accordance with one’s own capacity (svaśakti), rather than imitating another’s role.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he frames a principle for social and moral life: among diverse persons, each should adhere to the duties and practices suited to his own ability and position.