Shloka 5
Kāma–Mamatā–Upadeśa
Discourse on Desire, Possessiveness, and Ritual Duty
अविनाशो<स्य सत्त्वस्य नियतो यदि भारत | भित्त्वा शरीरं भूतानामहिंसां प्रतिपद्यते
avināśo 'sya sattvasya niyato yadi bhārata | bhittvā śarīraṃ bhūtānām ahiṃsāṃ pratipadyate ||
বায়ু বললেন— হে ভারত, যদি স্থির করে ধরা হয় যে এই জগতের সত্তা অবিনাশী, তবে সেই যুক্তিতে প্রাণীদের দেহ বিদীর্ণ করেও মানুষ অহিংসার ফল লাভ করবে।
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse tests a moral argument: if one assumes that the true essence of beings is indestructible, then physical harm could be wrongly claimed to be compatible with non-violence. It highlights the danger of using metaphysical claims to excuse हिंसा (harm) and to confuse ethical accountability.
Vāyudeva addresses a Bharata prince in a didactic exchange, presenting a pointed line of reasoning about indestructibility and the supposed ‘fruit’ of ahiṃsā, as part of a broader discussion on dharma and the moral evaluation of injury and action.