Shloka 4
नारद-समङ्ग-संवादः — The Nārada–Samaṅga Dialogue on Fearlessness and Equanimity
सुसुखं बत जीवामि यस्य मे नास्ति किंचन । मिथिलायां प्रदीप्तायां न मे दह्युति किंचन
su-sukhaṃ bata jīvāmi yasya me nāsti kiṃcana | mithilāyāṃ pradīptāyāṃ na me dahyati kiṃcana ||
ஜனகன் கூறினான்— நான் மிகுந்த சுகத்துடன் வாழ்கிறேன்; ஏனெனில் ‘எனது’ என்று சொல்லத்தக்கது ஒன்றுமில்லை. மிதிலா தீப்பற்றிக் கொழுந்தெழுந்தாலும், எனது எதுவும் எரியாது.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches aparigraha/non-possessiveness: when one abandons the sense of ownership (‘mine-ness’), one remains inwardly secure even if external possessions, status, or the whole city/kingdom is destroyed.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma cites (or echoes) King Janaka’s famous declaration to illustrate the ideal of a wise ruler who is inwardly detached—so that even a calamity like Mithilā burning does not disturb him through personal loss.