Shloka 44
Nara-Nārāyaṇa Precedent and Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna; Karṇa’s Reply
यदाह भरतमश्रेष्ठो भीष्मस्तत् क्रियतां नूप । न काममर्थलिप्सूनां वचन कर्तुमहसि,“नरेश्वर! भरतकुलतिलक भीष्मजीने जो कहा है, वही कीजिये। जो लोग अर्थ और कामके लोभी हैं, उनकी बातें आपको नहीं माननी चाहिये
yad āha bharataśreṣṭho bhīṣmas tat kriyatāṃ nṛpa | na kāmam arthalipsūnāṃ vacanaṃ kartum arhasi ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: “Ó rei, faz exatamente o que Bhīṣma — o melhor dos Bharatas — aconselhou. Não deves seguir o conselho daqueles que são movidos pela cobiça de riqueza e prazer.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should privilege dharmic, seasoned counsel (here, Bhīṣma’s) and reject advice motivated by artha and kāma—material greed and pleasure-seeking—since such motives distort judgment and lead to unrighteous policy.
Vaiśampāyana reports an exhortation to a king in the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations: the king is urged to implement Bhīṣma’s recommendation and not be swayed by self-interested advisers.