Shloka 7
Adhyāya 9: Pratiśruta-Dāna
The Duty to Fulfill Promised Gifts
अपि चोदाहरन्तीमं धर्मशास्त्रविदो जना: । अश्वानां श्यामकर्णानां सहस्रेण स मुच्यते
api codāharantīmaṁ dharmaśāstravido janāḥ | aśvānāṁ śyāmakarṇānāṁ sahasreṇa sa mucyate ||
ভীষ্ম বললেন— আরও, ধর্মশাস্ত্রজ্ঞরা এই দৃষ্টান্তও দেন: যে ব্যক্তি প্রতিজ্ঞাভঙ্গের পাপে পতিত হয়েছে, সে কালো-কর্ণ অশ্ব এক হাজার দান করলে সেই দোষ থেকে মুক্ত হয়।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Breaking a vow is treated as a serious ethical fault, but Dharmaśāstra recognizes structured atonement: a prescribed act of dāna (here, gifting a thousand dark-eared horses) is presented as a means to remove the moral taint and restore dharmic standing.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma, he supports his counsel by citing what Dharmaśāstra authorities say—offering a specific, traditional expiation for vow-breaking, framed as an authoritative example.