Shloka 63
पापात्म-धर्मात्म-लक्षणम् तथा निर्वेदेन मोक्षमार्गः | Marks of the Sinful and the Righteous; Dispassion (Nirveda) as a Path to Liberation
हन्या इति समादेश: शस्त्रपाणौ सुते स्थिते । विनीते प्रसवत्यर्थे विवासे चात्मकर्मसु
hanyā iti samādeśaḥ śastrapāṇau sute sthite | vinīte prasavatyarthe vivāse cātmakarmasu ||
Bhishma said: Though the command was, “Kill her!”, and Gautama’s son stood there with a weapon in hand, he did not rush into violence. When the sage had gone out for necessary duties such as japa and meditation, the son—Chirakārin, true to his name—remained restrained and reflective, considering what was right in the matter. Because he acted with humility and deliberation, the order to slay his mother could not be carried out, and her life was preserved.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when a command to punish seems authoritative, one must pause and examine dharma. Chirakārin’s restraint shows that self-control and moral deliberation can avert irreversible harm; obedience is not higher than righteous discernment.
Gautama, leaving for his personal religious duties (such as japa and meditation), has issued an order—‘Kill her.’ His son stands armed but, being disciplined and thoughtful, delays and reflects. Because of this delay and ethical consideration, the mother is not killed.