Shloka 20
Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)
दस्यूनां दीयतामेष साध्वद्य पुरुषाधम:
dasyūnāṃ dīyatām eṣa sādhv adya puruṣādhamaḥ, na dātum arhasi tvaṃ no bhakṣaṇāyāsya kilviṣam |
ভীষ্মে ক’লে— “মহাৰাজ! এই নৰাধমক আজি দস্যুসকলৰ হাতত দিয়া হওক। ইয়াক ভক্ষণ কৰি যি পাপ হ’ব, সেয়া আমাৰ ওপৰত আৰোপ নকৰিব।” এইদৰে কৈ সকলো নিশাচৰ ৰাক্ষসে ৰাক্ষসৰাজৰ চৰণত মস্তক নত কৰি প্ৰাৰ্থনা কৰিলে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even those portrayed as fierce (rākṣasas) recognize moral accountability: one should not be forced into an act that brings 'kilviṣa' (sin). The verse highlights ethical agency and the idea that wrongdoing contaminates the doer, so restraint and right allocation of punishment/food are framed as dharmic concerns.
A group of rākṣasas address their king, urging him to give the 'puruṣādhama' (vile man) to the dasyus instead, and to spare them the sinful act of eating him. They then bow at the king’s feet and make a collective supplication.