Shloka 25
Ānṛśaṃsya, Amātya-Guṇa, and Reconciliatory Counsel (आनृशंस्य–अमात्यगुण–संधि-उपदेशः)
नावमन्यामि ते बुद्धि नावमन्ये च पौरुषम् । नावमन्ये जयामीति जितवद् वर्ततां भवान्
nāvamanyāmi te buddhiṁ nāvamanye ca pauruṣam | nāvamanye jayāmīti jitavad vartatāṁ bhavān ||
میں تمہاری عقل کی توہین نہیں کرتا، نہ تمہاری مردانہ کوشش کو حقیر جانتا ہوں؛ اور ‘میں فاتح ہوں’ یہ سوچ کر بھی تمہیں نہیں جھڑکتا۔ اس لیے تم فاتح مردِ میدان کی طرح—ثابت قدم، باوقار اور کمینگی سے پاک—طرزِ عمل اختیار کرو۔
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Victory should not become a pretext for contempt. One should honor another’s intelligence and effort, and even when successful, maintain restraint, dignity, and respectful conduct—behaving as a true victor rather than as an arrogant conqueror.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma is instructing on righteous conduct. Here he addresses an interlocutor respectfully, clarifying that he is not insulting their judgment or valor, and urges them to act with the composure and nobility expected of someone who has prevailed.