Shloka 27
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
कुर्यात् तृणमयं चापं शयीत मृगशायिकाम् । अन्ध: स्यादन्धवेलायां बाधिर्यमपि संश्रयेत्
kuryāt tṛṇamayaṃ cāpaṃ śayīta mṛgaśāyikām | andhaḥ syād andhavelāyāṃ bādhiryam api saṃśrayet |
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Gumawa siya ng busog na yari sa damo; humiga siya sa balat ng usa, laging alisto gaya ng usa. Kapag hinihingi ng panahon, kumilos siyang wari’y bulag; at ayon sa pagkakataon, manalig pa siya sa anyong wari’y bingi.” Sa diwang-dharma, ito’y payo ng disiplinadong kasimplehan at mapagbantay na pag-iingat sa sarili, kasama ang madiskarteng pagpipigil sa salita at pagdama—pag-alam kung kailan dapat hindi tumugon o hindi magbunyag para sa katuwiran at kaligtasan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined simplicity and strategic restraint: a ruler (or prudent person) should live with minimal display, remain constantly alert, and know when to withhold response—sometimes ‘seeing’ and ‘hearing’ less (i.e., acting blind or deaf) to avoid danger, provocation, or the disclosure of sensitive matters, while preserving dharma.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on raja-dharma and practical governance. Here he gives a compact set of behavioral maxims—symbolic actions (a grass bow, deerskin bed) and tactical postures (acting blind/deaf when appropriate)—to illustrate vigilance, austerity, and prudent non-engagement in risky situations.