Shloka 3
Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Ātma-saṃyama (Marks of Social Conduct and Self-Restraint) | वर्णलक्षणम् एवं आत्मसंयमः
दुर्भिक्षादेव दुर्भिक्षं क्लेशात् क्लेशं भयाद् भयम् । मृतेभ्य: प्रमृतं यान्ति दरिद्रा: पापकारिण:,पापाचारी दरिद्र मनुष्य दुर्भिक्षसे दुर्भिक्ष, क्लेशसे क्लेश और भयसे भय पाते हुए मरे हुओंसे भी अधिक मृतकतुल्य हो जाते हैं
durbhikṣād eva durbhikṣaṃ kleśāt kleśaṃ bhayād bhayam | mṛtebhyaḥ pramṛtaṃ yānti daridrāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ ||
Bhishma disse: “Da fome caem em fome ainda maior; da aflição em aflição mais profunda; do medo em medo mais intenso. Os pobres que cometem pecado afundam num estado pior do que a própria morte—como se fossem mais mortos do que os mortos.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma warns that destitution combined with unethical conduct creates a self-reinforcing spiral: scarcity breeds more scarcity, suffering multiplies, fear intensifies, and the person becomes socially and spiritually 'dead'—cut off from dignity, stability, and dharmic life.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira by describing the cascading misery that befalls sinful, impoverished people, underscoring the moral and social urgency of righteous conduct and responsible rule.