Shloka 16
Brāhmaṇa-kṛtya, Āśrama-niyama, and Dāna-prasaṃsā
Duties of the Brāhmaṇa, āśrama discipline, and praise of giving
यमर्थसिद्धि: परमा न मोहयेत् तथैव काले व्यसनं न मोहयेत् । सुखं च दुःखं च तथैव मध्यमं निषेवते यः स धुरंधरो नर:
bhīṣma uvāca | yamārthasiddhiḥ paramā na mohayet tathaiva kāle vyasanaṃ na mohayet | sukhaṃ ca duḥkhaṃ ca tathaiva madhyamaṃ niṣevate yaḥ sa dhuraṃdharo naraḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Lelaki yang bahkan pencapaian duniawi tertinggi tidak memperdayakannya, dan yang tidak dikelirukan oleh kesusahan apabila ia datang pada waktunya; yang menyambut nikmat, derita, dan keadaan di antara keduanya dengan pendirian yang sama teguh—dialah sahaja pemikul tanggungjawab besar yang sejati, insan unggul yang layak menanggung beban berat dharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A truly capable person is not intoxicated by success nor shattered by adversity; he maintains equanimity toward pleasure, pain, and neutral circumstances, and thus is fit to bear great duties and responsibilities.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct and statecraft-like virtues, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by defining the qualities of a ‘dhuraṃdhara’—a person competent to carry heavy burdens—highlighting steadiness of mind amid changing fortunes.