Shloka 17
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
स्मर्तुमिच्छसि कौरव्य दिष्टं हि बलवत्तरम् । अथवा ते स्वभावो<यं येन पार्थिव क्लिश्यसे
smartum icchasi kauravya diṣṭaṃ hi balavattaram | athavā te svabhāvo 'yaṃ yena pārthiva kliśyase ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Hỡi người con của dòng Kuru, ngươi muốn nhớ lại (những điều ấy), nhưng số mệnh quả thật mạnh hơn. Hoặc, tâu đại vương, chính bản tính của ngài khiến ngài cứ tự làm khổ mình.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two sources of human distress: overpowering destiny (diṣṭa) and one’s own disposition (svabhāva). It suggests that obsessive recollection and rumination can be futile when events are fated, and even when not, suffering often persists because of one’s habitual temperament—implying the ethical need for self-governance and steadiness of mind.
Vaiśampāyana addresses a Kuru king/prince, observing that he is intent on remembering painful matters. The speaker explains that either destiny is stronger than personal control in this situation, or the listener’s own nature is such that he continually torments himself—framing the discussion toward acceptance, restraint, and inner discipline.