Shloka 18

शल्मलि–पवनसंवादः

The Dialogue of Śalmali and Pavana

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर महानेष धर्मो धर्मभूतां वर । गोघ्नेष्वपि भवेदस्मिन्निष्कृति: पापकर्मण:,धर्मात्माओंमें श्रेष्ठ युधिष्ठिर| यह शरणागतका पालन महान्‌ धर्म है। ऐसा करनेसे गोवध करनेवाले पुरुषोंके पापका भी प्रायश्रित्त हो जाता है

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira mahān eṣa dharmo dharmabhūtāṃ vara | goghneṣv api bhaved asmin niṣkṛtiḥ pāpakarmaṇaḥ ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „O Yudhiṣṭhira, Bester unter den Rechtschaffenen, dies ist wahrlich ein großes Dharma: den zu schützen, der Zuflucht gesucht hat. Wird es geübt, wird es zur Sühne (prāyaścitta) selbst für jene, die von schweren Sünden befleckt sind—ja, sogar für einen Kuhmörder.“

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira

महान्great

एषःthis

धर्मःdharma; righteous duty

धर्मभूतानाम्of those who are righteous (dharma-natured)

वरO best (one)

गोघ्नेषुeven among cow-slayers

अपिeven; also

भवेत्may be; would occur

अस्मिन्in this (matter/act)

निष्कृतिःexpiation; atonement

पापकर्मणःof a sinful-doer; of one whose deeds are sinful

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Protecting a person who has sought refuge is presented as a supreme moral duty. The text emphasizes its transformative ethical power: such protection functions as a means of expiation, capable of cleansing even very grave wrongdoing.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising King Yudhiṣṭhira. Here he highlights the duty of safeguarding the surrendered/refuge-seeker and underscores its merit by stating that it can atone for even severe sins like cow-killing.