Shloka 6
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
यज्ञश्नेत् प्रतिरुद्ध: स्यादंशेनैकेन यज्वनः । ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण धार्मिके सति राजनि
yajñaśnet pratiruddhaḥ syād aṁśenaikena yajvanaḥ | brāhmaṇasya viśeṣeṇa dhārmike sati rājani ||
Bhishma said: If, under a righteous king, a sacrificer’s rite is obstructed so that one portion of the offering remains incomplete—especially in the case of a Brahmin—then the king should see to its completion. If within his realm there is a wealthy Vaishya, rich in cattle and prosperity yet devoid of sacrificial practice (including Soma-sacrifice), the king may take from that household the wealth required for the sacrifice, so that the sacred work is not left unfinished.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A righteous king must prevent sacred duties from failing due to lack of resources—especially a Brāhmaṇa’s sacrifice. If necessary, he may requisition wealth from a prosperous but non-sacrificing Vaiśya household to complete the yajña, framing royal exaction as a dharmic duty aimed at sustaining public religious order.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on rājadharma in the Śānti Parva, he describes a case where a sacrificer’s ritual is stalled with a remaining portion incomplete. He advises the king to intervene and secure funds—potentially by taking from a wealthy Vaiśya family lacking sacrificial observance—so the rite can be finished.