Shloka 19
Ānṛśaṃsya, Amātya-Guṇa, and Reconciliatory Counsel (आनृशंस्य–अमात्यगुण–संधि-उपदेशः)
आत्मन्यपि च संदृश्यावुभी जयपराजयौ । नि:ःशेषकारिणां तात नि:शेषकरणाद् भयम्,“वत्स! अपनेमें भी जय और पराजय दोनोंको देखना चाहिये। जो दूसरोंकी सम्पत्ति छीनकर उसके पास कुछ भी शेष नहीं रहने देते, उन्हें उस सर्वस्वापहरणरूपी पापसे अपने लिये भी सदा भय बना रहता है”
ātmany api ca saṃdṛśyāv ubhī jayaparājayau | niḥśeṣakāriṇāṃ tāta niḥśeṣakaraṇād bhayam ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai anakku, hendaklah engkau melihat dalam dirimu sendiri kedua-duanya: menang dan kalah. Mereka yang merampas harta orang lain hingga tidak berbaki apa-apa hidup dalam ketakutan yang berterusan bagi diri mereka sendiri, lahir daripada dosa pelucutan yang menyeluruh.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches ethical restraint and inner discernment: recognize that the impulses leading to “victory” and “defeat” arise within oneself, and understand that totally depriving others of their possessions is a grave wrong that breeds continual fear and insecurity for the wrongdoer.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma after the war. Here he warns against ruthless appropriation—especially leaving others with nothing—framing it as a sinful act whose psychological and karmic consequence is persistent fear.