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 ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Seseorang tidak mencapai kemakmuran besar tanpa menyerang titik-titik yang paling genting, tanpa melakukan perbuatan yang keras, dan tanpa membunuh—seperti nelayan yang membunuh ikan. Rangkap ini menegaskan realisme yang tajam: kejayaan dan kuasa duniawi sering lahir daripada tindakan yang melukai, memaksa, atau memusnahkan, lalu menimbulkan ketegangan moral antara dharma dan pencarian śrī (tuah, kedaulatan).
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.