Shloka 50
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
नाच्छित्त्वा परमर्माणि नाकृत्वा कर्म दारुणम् | नाहत्वा मत्स्यघातीव प्राप्रोति महतीं श्रियम्
nācchittvā paramarmāṇi nākṛtvā karma dāruṇam | nāhatvā matsyaghātīva prāpnoti mahatīṃ śriyam ||
ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—മർമസ്ഥാനങ്ങളെ വെട്ടിക്കൊള്ളാതെ, കഠിനമായ പ്രവൃത്തികൾ ചെയ്യാതെ, മത്സ്യഘാതിയെപ്പോലെ വധം നടത്താതെ മഹത്തായ ശ്രീ—സമൃദ്ധിയും രാജലക്ഷ്മിയും—ലഭിക്കുകയില്ല.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a stark political-ethical observation: great worldly success (śrī) is rarely achieved without forceful measures—exploiting vulnerabilities, performing severe actions, and causing harm—creating tension with ideals of non-violence and righteousness.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma and practical governance after the war. Here he uses the fisherman analogy to illustrate that the acquisition and maintenance of power and prosperity often involve coercive or violent acts, even when such acts trouble moral sensibilities.