Shloka 21
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
“मैं इसे आगमें झोंक दूँ या इसके टुकड़े-टुकड़े कर डालूँ? बालककी हत्या करनेवाला यह पापी सर्प अब अधिक समयतक जीवित रहने योग्य नहीं है” ।। गौतम्युवाच विसृजैनमबुद्धिस्त्वमवध्यो<र्जुनक त्वया । को ह्वात्मानं गुरुं कुर्यात् प्राप्तव्यमविचिन्तयन्,गौतमी बोली--अर्जुनक! छोड़ दे इस सर्पको। तू अभी नादान है। तुझे इस सर्पको नहीं मारना चाहिये। होनहारको कोई टाल नहीं सकता--इस बातको जानते हुए भी इसकी उपेक्षा करके कौन अपने ऊपर पापका भारी बोझ लादेगा?
bhīṣma uvāca | “kim enaṃ vahnim āsyāmi athavā enaṃ khaṇḍa-khaṇḍaṃ kariṣyāmi? bāla-vadhakṛt eṣa pāpī sarpa idānīṃ ciram jīvituṃ nārhati” ||
gautamy uvāca | visṛjainam abuddhis tvaṃ; avadhyo ’rjunaka tvayā | ko hy ātmānaṃ guruṃ kuryāt prāptavyaṃ avicintayan ||
Bhishma said, “Shall I cast him into the fire, or shall I cut him to pieces? This sinful serpent, a killer of a child, does not deserve to live any longer.” Gautami replied, “Release him, Arjunaka. You are acting without discernment. You must not kill this serpent. Who, disregarding what must inevitably come to pass, would load himself with the heavy burden of sin?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when anger feels justified, one should not commit an act that adds personal sin; Gautami urges restraint and release, emphasizing discernment and the inevitability of what must occur (prāptavya), rather than retaliatory violence.
Bhishma expresses a desire to punish a serpent that has killed a child, proposing burning or dismemberment. Gautami intervenes, calling him undiscerning and instructing Arjunaka to release the serpent, warning that killing it would only burden the killer with guilt and sin.