Shloka 21
Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154
न वोञस्त्यस्मिन् सुते स्नेहो बाले मधुरभाषिणि | यस्य भाषितमात्रेण प्रसादमधिगच्छत,“जान पड़ता है” इस मधुर भाषी छोटे-से बालकपर तुम्हारा तनिक भी स्नेह नहीं है। यह वही बालक है, जिसकी मीठी-मीठी बातें सुनते ही तुम्हारा हृदय हर्षसे खिल उठता था
na voñasty asmin sute sneho bāle madhurabhāṣiṇi | yasya bhāṣitamātreṇa prasādam adhigacchata ||
“کیا اس میٹھا بولنے والے ننھے بیٹے کے لیے تمہارے دل میں ذرا بھی محبت نہیں؟ یہی تو وہ بچہ ہے جس کی باتیں محض سن کر تمہارے دل کو راحت اور خوشی ملتی تھی۔”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma appeals to natural affection and moral responsibility: tenderness toward the innocent—especially one’s own child—should not be eclipsed by anger, politics, or harsh judgment; gentle speech and the joy it brings are reminders of one’s duty to protect rather than reject.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhīṣma addresses his listener(s) and reproaches them for seeming lack of affection toward a sweet-speaking child, recalling how the child’s mere words once brought them happiness and calm.