Shloka 23
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
हत्वा चैनं नामृतः स्यादयं मे जीवत्यस्मिन् को>त्ययःस्यादयं ते । अस्योत्सर्गे प्राणयुक्तस्य जन्तो- मृत्योलोंक॑ को नु गच्छेदनन्तम्
hatvā cainaṁ nāmṛtaḥ syād ayaṁ me jīvati asmin ko 'tyayaḥ syād ayaṁ te | asyotsarge prāṇayuktasya jantoḥ mṛtyor lokaṁ ko nu gacched anantam ||
Bhishma dijo: «Aunque lo mataras, mi hijo no volvería a la vida. Y si esta serpiente permanece viva, ¿qué daño real te causaría? En tal situación, ¿quién destruiría la vida de un ser viviente y, por ello, iría al reino interminable de Yama, el mundo de la muerte?»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma argues for restraint and non-violence: killing out of anger or grief does not undo loss, and taking a living being’s life brings moral and karmic peril symbolized by going to Yama’s realm.
Bhishma addresses someone intent on killing a serpent, reasoning that the death of the serpent will not restore Bhishma’s (already lost) son, and that sparing the creature avoids needless sin and the consequences associated with death and Yama.