Shloka 12
अबुद्धिपूर्वकपापविमोचनप्रश्नः — Janamejaya’s Unintended Transgression and the Indrota Rebuke
तत् स्वदेहे दयां त्यक्त्वा धर्मार्थों परिगृह[ च । पूजामस्मै प्रयुड्क्ष्व त्वं प्रीयेतास्य मनो यथा
tat svadehe dayāṁ tyaktvā dharmārtho parigṛhya ca | pūjām asmai prayuṅkṣva tvaṁ prīyetāsya mano yathā ||
भीष्म उवाच—तत् स्वदेहे दयां त्यक्त्वा धर्मार्थौ परिगृह्य च, पूजामस्मै प्रयुञ्जस्व त्वं प्रीयेतास्य मनो यथा।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not let self-centered pity weaken resolve; instead, adopt a course grounded in dharma (righteousness) and artha (practical good), and maintain social-ethical order by honoring the appropriate person so that harmony and cooperation are secured.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma is advising the listener (Yudhishthira in the broader frame) on proper conduct: restrain personal softness, choose a dharma-aligned policy, and offer respectful honor/service to ‘him’ (the relevant superior/benefactor/authority in context) to win his goodwill.