Shloka 45
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
न वित्तेन न पारुष्यैर्न सान्त्वेन न च श्रुतै: । कोपाग्नि: शाम्यते राज॑स्तोयाग्निरिव सागरे
brahmadatta uvāca |
na vittena na pāruṣyair na sāntvena na ca śrutaiḥ |
kopa-agniḥ śāmyate rājan toyāgnir iva sāgare ||
大王，嗔怒之火不因财物而熄，不因严酷手段而熄，不因温言抚慰而熄，甚至不因圣典学识而熄。正如海中潜火在大洋之内燃烧，海水亦不能使之平息；愤怒亦然，常法难治。
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
Anger is portrayed as a self-sustaining inner fire that does not subside through external fixes—wealth, intimidation, sweet talk, or even mere learning. The implied counsel is to cultivate inner restraint and uproot anger’s causes rather than relying on situational tactics.
In a didactic exchange within Śānti Parva, Brahmadatta addresses a king and uses the famous image of the submarine fire in the ocean to emphasize how difficult it is to pacify anger once it flares, thereby instructing the ruler on the necessity of self-mastery.