Shloka 17
Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)
सस्त्रीकुमारं च पुरं बभूवास्वस्थमानसम् । अपने मित्रको इस दशामें देखकर मन्त्री और पुरोहितोंके साथ राजा विरूपाक्ष फूट- फ़ूटकर रोने लगे। उनके महलमें महान् आर्तनाद गूँजने लगा। स्त्री और बच्चोंसहित सारे नगरमें शोक छा गया। किसीका भी मन स्वस्थ न रहा ।। अथाब्रवीन्नूषप: पुत्रं पापो5यं वध्यतामिति
sa-strī-kumāraṁ ca puraṁ babhūva asvastha-mānasam | athābravīn nūṣapaḥ putraṁ pāpo ’yaṁ vadhyatām iti ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „Die ganze Stadt, mitsamt Frauen und Kindern, geriet in Not und seelische Unruhe. Da sagte Nūṣapa zu seinem Sohn: ‚Dieser Mann ist böse—er soll getötet werden.‘“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how collective grief and fear can destabilize judgment and provoke immediate calls for harsh punishment. In a dharma context, it invites reflection on whether punitive action arises from righteous justice or from agitation and anger, implying the need for restraint and discernment before condemning someone.
The city, including women and children, is overwhelmed and mentally unsettled. In that atmosphere, Nūṣapa addresses his son and declares that a certain person is wicked and should be executed, signaling an escalation toward retribution amid public distress.