Shloka 75
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
ब्रह्मदत्त तवाच नाविश्वासाद विन्दते<र्थानीहते चापि किंचन । भयात् त्वेकतरान्नित्यं मृतकल्पा भवन्ति च
Brahmadatta uvāca: nāviśvāsād vindate 'rthān ihaite cāpi kiṃcana | bhayāt tv ekatarān nityaṃ mṛtakalpā bhavanti ca ||
梵摩达多说道：“可敬者啊，因疑惧与不信，人便无法在世间获得所求，甚至连行动的努力也不敢开始。若恐惧长期在心中占据一隅、成为固定的忧惧，人们就会如同死人——生命本身也等同于失落。”
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
Distrust paralyzes human striving and blocks attainment of goals; persistent, one-sided fear makes a person functionally lifeless. The verse urges inner confidence and freedom from fear as prerequisites for purposeful action and well-being.
In the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva, Brahmadatta is instructing a respected listener, emphasizing practical moral psychology: without trust one cannot pursue aims, and if fear dominates the mind, one’s capacity to live and act collapses.