Shloka 24
Janamejaya’s Appeal for Pacification and Śaunaka’s Counsel on Humility (जनमेजय-शौनक संवादः)
अग्निमशध्ये प्रविष्ट॑ तु लुब्धो दृष्टवा तु पक्षिणम् । चिन्तयामास मनसा किमिदं वै मया कृतम्,पक्षीको आगके भीतर घुसा हुआ देख व्याध मन-ही-मन चिन्ता करने लगा कि मैंने यह क्या कर डाला?
agnimadhye praviṣṭaṃ tu lubdho dṛṣṭvā tu pakṣiṇam | cintayāmāsa manasā kim idaṃ vai mayā kṛtam ||
Bhishma said: Seeing the bird that had entered the midst of the fire, the hunter—driven by greed—was struck with remorse. He reflected inwardly, “What is this that I have done?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Actions driven by greed can quickly turn into moral wrongdoing; when awareness dawns, remorse arises. The verse points to the inner judge—conscience—as a key indicator of dharma, urging restraint and compassion toward living beings.
A hunter sees a bird that has gone into the fire (likely as a consequence of being pursued). Confronted with the bird’s suffering, he mentally recoils and questions his own deed, signaling a shift from predatory intent to self-reproach.