Shloka 153
Śuka’s Guṇa-Transcendence and Vyāsa’s Consolation (शुकगति-वर्णनम्)
डन्द्वैस्तैस्तैस्त्वपहत: सर्वतः परिशड्कित: । बहुप्रत्यर्थिकं राज्यमुपास्ते गणयन्निशा:,वह नाना प्रकारके द्वन्द्*ोंस आहत और सब ओरसे शंकित हो रातें गिनता हुआ अनेक शत्रुओंसे भरे हुए राज्यका सेवन करता है
Dvandvaiḥ tais tais tv apahataḥ sarvataḥ pariśaṅkitaḥ | bahu-pratyarthikaṁ rājyam upāste gaṇayann niśāḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：屡遭种种纷争击打，又四面被疑惧所围，国王所谓“享受”其国度，不过是虚名——只是在数着夜晚的流逝——而他所统治的王国却挤满了众多敌对者。此偈强调：在仇怨中得来或维系的权势，必付出伦理的代价；没有信任的王权，终成吞噬心安的重担。
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Rule sustained amid constant rivalry and suspicion destroys inner peace; a kingdom surrounded by adversaries becomes a source of fear rather than fulfillment. Rajadharma therefore requires securing trust, reducing enmity, and governing in a way that does not multiply opponents.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on राजधर्म (the duties of kings), Bhīṣma describes the psychological state of a ruler who is continually battered by conflicts and distrust. Such a king spends sleepless nights, merely ‘counting’ them, while trying to manage a realm contested by many enemies.