Shloka 25
कपोत-लुब्धकसंवादः — Hunter’s Remorse and Renunciatory Resolve
अड़़् मामन्ववेक्षस्व राजन्याय बुभूषते । यथा प्रमुच्यते त्वन्यो यदर्थ न प्रमोदते
aḍ māmanvavekṣasva rājanyāya bubhūṣate | yathā pramucyate tv anyo yadartha na pramodate, vatsa yudhiṣṭhira |
毗湿摩说道：“看着我吧，国王啊——看看我所行之事。对于那些渴求统御大地的刹帝利诸王，我以此方式行事，使他们脱离世间系缚——在战场上将其击倒，送往天界。纵然他人不加赞许，反以残酷与暴烈讥毁我，我亦未曾舍弃本分。你也当如此，坚定立于你自身的法之道路。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma urges steadfastness in svadharma: even if one’s duty appears harsh and attracts public blame, a kshatriya must act according to ordained responsibility, with the intention of upholding order rather than seeking personal pleasure or approval.
In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on kingship and duty. Here he points to his own life as an example: he fought and killed rival warrior-kings, interpreting that act within the kshatriya framework as enabling their heavenly destiny, and he tells Yudhishthira to remain firm in his own royal obligations despite criticism.