Shloka 45
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
तस्मान्नैवावगहोॉत नैव जातु निपातयेत् । शोणितं यावत: पांसून् संगृह्नीयाद् द्विजक्षतात्
tasmān naivāvagaho'ta naiva jātu nipātayet | śoṇitaṃ yāvataḥ pāṃsūn saṃgṛhnīyād dvijakṣatāt ||
Bhīṣma dit : C’est pourquoi nul ne doit s’y plonger, ni jamais le laisser tomber. Du sang issu de la blessure d’un brāhmane, il faut recueillir le sang avec toute la poussière qu’il a touchée, afin qu’aucune souillure ni aucun mal ne soit laissé se répandre davantage.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma lays down a rule of careful restraint and responsibility: do not recklessly enter into or spread a harmful/defiling situation; instead, contain it and remove even secondary contamination (symbolized by collecting blood and the dust it has touched), reflecting a broader ethic of non-harm and meticulous dharmic conduct.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhīṣma is giving prescriptive guidance on proper conduct. Here he describes how one should respond to a brahmin’s injury: avoid actions that worsen the situation and carefully gather and remove the blood and affected earth, emphasizing containment and respect.