Shloka 22
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
प्राणिनामिह सर्वेषां साक्षिभूता निशानिशम्
prāṇinām iha sarveṣāṁ sākṣibhūtā niśāniśam
قال يودهيشثيرا: «في هذا العالم، لجميع الكائنات الحيّة، ثمّة ما يقوم شاهدًا دائمًا—ليلًا ونهارًا».
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
That moral life is lived under constant witnessing: one’s actions are never truly hidden, because an ever-present witness (often understood as conscience, dharma, or the indwelling Self) observes all beings at all times, urging accountability and restraint.
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused setting, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks in a reflective, ethical register, framing a point about conduct by invoking the idea of an unceasing witness over all creatures—preparing the ground for guidance on right and wrong action.