Shloka 28
Babhruvāhana’s Lament and Appeal for Expiation (प्रायश्चित्त-याचना)
व्यादिशन्तु च किं विप्रा: प्रायश्ित्तमिहाद्य मे । सुनृशंसस्य पापस्य पितृहन्तू रणाजिरे,'ब्राह्मणो! मैं अत्यन्त क्रूर, पापी और समरांगणमें पिताकी हत्या करनेवाला हूँ। बताइये, मेरे लिये अब यहाँ कौन-सा प्रायश्रित्त है?
vyādiśantu ca kiṁ viprāḥ prāyaścittam ihādya me | sunṛśaṁsasya pāpasya pitṛhantū raṇājire ||
বৈশম্পায়নে ক’লে— হে বিপ্ৰসকল, আজি ইয়াতেই মোৰ বাবে প্ৰায়শ্চিত্ত নিৰ্দেশ কৰক। মই অতিশয় নিষ্ঠুৰ, পাপী, আৰু ৰণভূমিত পিতৃহন্তা।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even acts committed amid war can carry grave moral and ritual consequences; dharma requires acknowledging wrongdoing and seeking appropriate prāyaścitta through qualified spiritual authorities rather than denying guilt or justifying cruelty.
A remorseful speaker addresses brāhmaṇas, confessing that he has killed his father in battle and asking them to prescribe an immediate expiation, framing the moment as a crisis of conscience and dharmic accountability.