Shloka 15
कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च
The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion
स वै क्षारकमादाय द्विजान् हत्वा वने सदा | चकार विक्रयं तेषां पतज्ञानां जनाधिप,नरेश्वर! वह प्रतिदिन जाल लेकर वनमें जाता और बहुत-से पक्षियोंको मारकर उन्हें बाजारमें बेंच दिया करता था
sa vai kṣārakam ādāya dvijān hatvā vane sadā | cakāra vikrayaṃ teṣāṃ patagjñānāṃ janādhipa, nareśvara ||
Bhishma said: Taking a bird-snare (net) with him, that man would always go into the forest, kill birds, and then sell those winged creatures for profit—an act presented here as a morally blameworthy livelihood driven by gain rather than restraint.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an unethical livelihood: habitual killing of living beings for commerce. In the Shanti Parva’s dharma-discourse, such conduct is typically framed as adharma because it normalizes violence and treats life as mere merchandise.
Bhishma describes a man who daily takes a bird-snare into the forest, kills many birds, and sells them in the market. The description sets up a moral evaluation of his actions within a broader discussion of righteous conduct.