Shloka 17
Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)
अनन्तरं क्षत्रियस्य तत्र कि विचिकित्स्यते | यथास्य धर्मों न ग्लायेन्नेयाच्छत्रुवशं यथा । तत् कर्तव्यमिहेत्याहुर्नात्मानवसादयेत्
anantaraṃ kṣatriyasya tatra kiṃ vicikitsyate | yathāsya dharmo na glāyen neyāc chatrūvaśaṃ yathā | tat kartavyam ihāty āhur nātmānam avasādayet |
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଆପତ୍ତି ଦୂର ହେଲାପରେ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଙ୍କର ଏଠାରେ ପୁଣି କି ସନ୍ଦେହ? ସେ ଏପରି ଆଚରଣ କରୁ, ଯେପରି ତାଙ୍କର ଧର୍ମ କ୍ଷୟ ନ ହେଉ ଏବଂ ସେ ଶତ୍ରୁବଶ ନ ହେଉ। ବିଦ୍ୱାନମାନେ ଏହିକୁ ଏଠାରେ ତାଙ୍କର କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟ ବୋଲି କହିଛନ୍ତି—ସେ ନିଜକୁ ଅବନତ କରିବେ ନାହିଁ, ପୁଣି ନିଜକୁ ସଙ୍କଟରେ ନ ଫେଲିବେ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kshatriya’s post-crisis duty is to preserve dharma and political independence: act so that righteous conduct is not weakened and so that one does not become subject to an enemy; do not lapse into self-defeating despair or negligence.
In Bhishma’s instruction to Yudhishthira in the Shanti Parva, he addresses the doubt about what a warrior-ruler should do after danger has passed, and he resolves it by prioritizing the maintenance of dharma and avoidance of subjugation.