Shloka 18
Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
जातिजन्मजरादु:खैरनित्यं संसारसागरे | जन्तव: परिवर्तन्ते मरणादुद्धिजन्ति च
jāti-janma-jarā-duḥkhair anityaṃ saṃsāra-sāgare | jantavaḥ parivartante maraṇād udvijanti ca ||
Bhishma berkata: Dalam lautan kewujudan duniawi (samsara), semua makhluk hidup berputar tanpa henti, ditimpa derita kehidupan berjasad—terkurung dalam rahim, kelahiran, dan usia tua—serta sentiasa gelisah, digoncang oleh ketakutan akan kematian.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The core teaching is that embodied life in saṃsāra is inherently marked by recurring suffering—womb-life, birth, aging—and by persistent anxiety about death; therefore one should cultivate detachment, right understanding, and a dharmic pursuit of liberation rather than clinging to transient worldly states.
Bhishma, instructing on dharma in the Anushasana Parva, reflects on the universal condition of beings trapped in saṃsāra. He describes their continual wandering and agitation, setting a contemplative frame for ethical and spiritual counsel aimed at overcoming fear and suffering.