Shloka 38
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
कर्मणा येन तेनैव मृदुना दारुणेन च । उद्धरेद् दीनमात्मानं समर्थो धर्ममाचरेत्,“मनुष्य कोमल या कठोर, जिस किसी भी उपायसे सम्भव हो, दीनदशासे अपना उद्धार करे। इसके बाद शक्तिशाली हो पुन: धर्मांचरण करे
karmaṇā yena tenaiva mṛdunā dāruṇena ca | uddhared dīnam ātmānaṃ samartho dharmam ācaret ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: Sa alinmang paraang magagawa—maging banayad man o mahigpit—dapat iahon ng tao ang sarili mula sa abang kalagayan. Pag naibalik na ang lakas at kakayahan, saka niya isagawa nang wasto ang dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
When one has fallen into hardship, one may use whatever effective means are available—gentle or stern—to recover and become capable again; but once capable, one must return to the disciplined practice of dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira that escaping distress can require practical measures; the moral obligation is to re-establish righteous conduct after regaining strength.