Shloka 21
Śuka’s Nirveda: Vyāsa’s Admonition on Dharma, Impermanence, and ‘Imperishable Wealth’ (अक्षय-धन)
अधृतात्मन् धृतौ तिष्ठ दुर्बुद्धे बुद्धिमान् भव । अप्रशान्त: प्रशाम्य त्वमप्राज्ञ: प्राज्ञवच्चर
adhṛtātman dhṛtau tiṣṭha durbuddhe buddhimān bhava | apraśāntaḥ praśāmya tvam aprājñaḥ prājñavac cara ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai yang jiwanya tidak teguh, berdirilah kukuh dalam pengendalian diri. Wahai yang tersesat, jadilah bijaksana. Engkau telah lama gelisah—kini tenangkan dirimu. Engkau telah bertindak seperti orang jahil—kini berlakulah seperti orang yang benar-benar arif.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma urges inner discipline: stabilize the mind through dhṛti (steadfast self-control), abandon agitation, and replace ignorant, impulsive behavior with the conduct of the wise—an ethical prerequisite for righteous rule and right action.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhishma is delivering moral and political counsel. Here he directly admonishes his listener (a ruler/royal addressee implied by the wider context) to restrain the mind, become calm, and act with discernment rather than folly.