Shloka 17
Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)
अनन्तरं क्षत्रियस्य तत्र कि विचिकित्स्यते | यथास्य धर्मों न ग्लायेन्नेयाच्छत्रुवशं यथा । तत् कर्तव्यमिहेत्याहुर्नात्मानवसादयेत्
anantaraṃ kṣatriyasya tatra kiṃ vicikitsyate | yathāsya dharmo na glāyen neyāc chatrūvaśaṃ yathā | tat kartavyam ihāty āhur nātmānam avasādayet |
Wika ni Bhishma: “Pagkalipas ng isang krisis, ano pa ang dapat pag-alinlanganan ng isang kshatriya? Kumilos siya nang sa gayon ay hindi humina ang kanyang dharma at hindi siya mapasailalim sa kapangyarihan ng kaaway. Ipinahahayag ng marurunong na ito ang kanyang tungkulin dito: huwag niyang ibagsak ang sarili, ni ibalik ang sarili sa panibagong kapahamakan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kshatriya’s post-crisis duty is to preserve dharma and political independence: act so that righteous conduct is not weakened and so that one does not become subject to an enemy; do not lapse into self-defeating despair or negligence.
In Bhishma’s instruction to Yudhishthira in the Shanti Parva, he addresses the doubt about what a warrior-ruler should do after danger has passed, and he resolves it by prioritizing the maintenance of dharma and avoidance of subjugation.