Shloka 23
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
हत्वा चैनं नामृतः स्यादयं मे जीवत्यस्मिन् को>त्ययःस्यादयं ते । अस्योत्सर्गे प्राणयुक्तस्य जन्तो- मृत्योलोंक॑ को नु गच्छेदनन्तम्
hatvā cainaṁ nāmṛtaḥ syād ayaṁ me jīvati asmin ko 'tyayaḥ syād ayaṁ te | asyotsarge prāṇayuktasya jantoḥ mṛtyor lokaṁ ko nu gacched anantam ||
ভীষ্ম ক’লে—“ইয়াক মাৰিলেও মোৰ পুত্ৰ জীয়াই উঠিব নোৱাৰে; আৰু এই সাপ জীয়াই থাকিলে তোৰ কি ক্ষতি? এনে অৱস্থাত প্ৰাণযুক্ত জীৱৰ প্ৰাণ নাশ কৰি কোনে যমৰ অনন্ত লোক—মৃত্যুলোক—লৈ যাব?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma argues for restraint and non-violence: killing out of anger or grief does not undo loss, and taking a living being’s life brings moral and karmic peril symbolized by going to Yama’s realm.
Bhishma addresses someone intent on killing a serpent, reasoning that the death of the serpent will not restore Bhishma’s (already lost) son, and that sparing the creature avoids needless sin and the consequences associated with death and Yama.