Shloka 13
Bṛhaspati’s Counsel on Contentment
Santoṣa), Restraint, and Adroha (Non-injury
तस्मादेतत् प्रयत्नेन कौन्तेय प्रतिपालय । यो हि राज्ये स्थित: शश्वद् वशी तुल्यप्रियाप्रिय:
tasmādetat prayatnena kaunteya pratipālaya | yo hi rājye sthitaḥ śaśvad vaśī tulyapriyāpriyaḥ ||
Maka, wahai putera Kuntī, peliharalah dan tegakkanlah hal ini dengan usaha bersungguh-sungguh. Kerana orang yang berdiri dalam kedudukan raja hendaklah sentiasa menguasai diri, tetap seimbang terhadap yang menyenangkan dan yang tidak menyenangkan—lalu melindungi negeri dengan ketidakberpihakan yang berdisiplin.
देवस्थान उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must consciously uphold dharma through steady self-mastery: remaining impartial toward pleasure and displeasure prevents favoritism, anger, and rash punishment, thereby safeguarding the kingdom.
Devastāna addresses Kaunteya with a direct injunction: to preserve the stated principle by effort, emphasizing that one established in royal power should be continually self-controlled and even-minded in the face of agreeable and disagreeable circumstances.