Shloka 27
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
कुर्यात् तृणमयं चापं शयीत मृगशायिकाम् । अन्ध: स्यादन्धवेलायां बाधिर्यमपि संश्रयेत्
kuryāt tṛṇamayaṃ cāpaṃ śayīta mṛgaśāyikām | andhaḥ syād andhavelāyāṃ bādhiryam api saṃśrayet |
毗湿摩说道：“当以草为弓；当卧于鹿皮之上，常如鹿般警醒。时势所需之际，当行若盲；又随其机宜，甚至可托身于若聋之态。”就伦理而言，此训诫在于：以纪律守朴，以警觉自护，并在言语与感知上施以策略性的克制——知何时不应回应，何时不宜泄露，以护持法与安危。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches disciplined simplicity and strategic restraint: a ruler (or prudent person) should live with minimal display, remain constantly alert, and know when to withhold response—sometimes ‘seeing’ and ‘hearing’ less (i.e., acting blind or deaf) to avoid danger, provocation, or the disclosure of sensitive matters, while preserving dharma.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on raja-dharma and practical governance. Here he gives a compact set of behavioral maxims—symbolic actions (a grass bow, deerskin bed) and tactical postures (acting blind/deaf when appropriate)—to illustrate vigilance, austerity, and prudent non-engagement in risky situations.