ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
नश्यन्त्यर्थास्तथा भोगा: स्थानमैश्वर्यमेव च
naśyanty arthās tathā bhogāḥ sthānam aiśvaryam eva ca
Bhīṣma berkata: “Harta akan binasa; demikian juga kenikmatan. Bahkan kedudukan dan kedaulatan pun tidak kekal.”
भीष्म उवाच
All worldly supports—wealth, enjoyment, social rank, and political power—are inherently unstable; therefore one should not ground one’s life-choices in them but in dharma and inner steadiness.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira on right conduct after the war, emphasizing the fragility of worldly attainments to encourage detachment and ethical governance.