Shloka 18
प्रभुत्वं लभते जन्तुर्थर्मस्यैतत् फलं विदु: । सतु धर्मफलं लब्ध्वा न हृष्यति युधिष्ठिर
prabhutvaṁ labhate jantur dharmasyaitat phalaṁ viduḥ | sa tu dharmaphalaṁ labdhvā na hṛṣyati yudhiṣṭhira ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Makhluk yang hidup memperoleh kekuasaan dan kewibawaan—itulah, kata mereka, buah dharma. Namun orang yang telah memperoleh buah dharma itu tidak menjadi mabuk kegembiraan, wahai Yudhiṣṭhira.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma may yield power and authority, but the truly righteous person remains inwardly steady and does not become intoxicated or proud upon gaining such results.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and governance; here he explains that even when dharma produces worldly sovereignty, a dhārmika should not exult, emphasizing restraint and humility in rule.