Shloka 5
Doṣa-Parīkṣā and Guṇa-Viveka
Examination of Faults and Discernment of the Guṇas
न जानपदिकं दुःखमेक: शोचितुमहति । अशोचन् प्रतिकुर्वीत यदि पश्येदुपक्रमम्
na jānapadikaṁ duḥkham ekaḥ śocitum arhati | aśocan pratikurvīta yadi paśyed upakramam ||
Quando o sofrimento recai sobre todo um reino, ninguém deve lamentar como se fosse apenas seu. Se se enxerga um meio prático de enfrentá-lo, deve-se pôr de lado o pranto e empenhar-se em remover essa aflição.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Grief is unhelpful when suffering is collective; if a remedy is available, one should replace lamentation with purposeful action to alleviate the harm.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs the listener on dharma and governance; here he counsels a ruler-like mindset: recognize public calamity as a shared burden and respond with calm, remedial effort rather than personal despair.