Shloka 24
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
अनिश्चयो हि युद्धेषु द्वयोविंवदमानयो: । एक: प्राप्रोति विजयमेकश्नैव पराजयम्
aniścayo hi yuddheṣu dvayor vivadamānayoḥ | ekaḥ prāpnoti vijayam ekaś caiva parājayam ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: Sa mga digmaan ng dalawang panig na nag-aagawan, hindi kailanman tiyak ang kahihinatnan. Kapag ang alitan ay sumiklab tungo sa digmaan, ang isang panig ay magtatamo ng tagumpay at ang isa nama’y tiyak na mapapahamak sa pagkatalo.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
War between rivals has no guaranteed outcome; since victory and defeat are uncertain and costly, one should be cautious about escalating disputes into violence and should prefer restraint and wise counsel.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and statecraft; here he underscores a practical moral lesson: once conflict becomes war, certainty vanishes and one party will suffer defeat.