Shloka 43
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
न चेदमचलं स्थानमनन्तं वापि कस्यचित् । त्वं तु बालिशया बुद्धया ममेदमिति मन््यसे
na cedam acalaṁ sthānam anantaṁ vāpi kasyacit | tvaṁ tu bāliśayā buddhyā mamedam iti manyase ||
Wika ni Bhishma: Ang katayuang ito ay hindi di-nagagalaw, ni walang hanggan para kaninuman. Ngunit ikaw, sa isip na parang bata at nalilinlang, ay iniisip: “Akin ito.” Maging ang paghahari ni Indra ay hindi kailanman napatunayang pangmatagalan; marami na ang humawak nito at lumipas. Kaya huwag mong kapitan ang kapangyarihan na parang pag-aari—kilalanin ang paglipas nito at kumilos nang may kababaang-loob at ayon sa dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Positions of authority are transient; claiming them as ‘mine’ is delusion. One should rule or act without possessiveness, with humility and adherence to dharma.
Bhishma admonishes a proud ruler (implicitly one who identifies with high office, like Indra’s status) by reminding him that no post is permanent; many have held such power and departed, so arrogance and possessiveness are misguided.