Shloka 14
चिरकारि-उपाख्यानम् / The Exemplum of Cirakārī: Deliberation Before Irreversible Action
न हात्यन्तं बलवन्तो भवन्ति सुखिनो5पि वा | तस्मादनार्जवे बुद्धिर्न कार्या ते कदाचन
na hātyantaṃ balavanto bhavanti sukhino 'pi vā | tasmād anārjave buddhir na kāryā te kadācana ||
Bhishma berkata: Di dunia ini, tiada seorang pun kekal berkuasa paling unggul selama-lamanya, dan tiada juga yang kekal terlalu bahagia. Maka jangan sekali-kali biarkan fikiranmu condong kepada kelicikan atau ketidakjujuran; peliharalah pertimbanganmu daripada tipu daya, kerana helah demikian akhirnya membawa kebinasaan, bukan keuntungan yang berkekalan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power and happiness are unstable and do not last at their peak; therefore one should not resort to crooked or deceitful thinking. Ethical straightness (ārjava) is urged as the safer and dharmic course.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma continues advising the listener (Yudhishthira in the broader frame) on moral policy: he warns against adopting dishonesty, pointing to the impermanence of worldly strength and pleasure.