Shloka 18
Prāyaścitta-vidhāna: Tapas, Dāna, Vrata, and Proportional Expiation (प्रायश्चित्तविधानम्)
क्षयं शोकं प्रकुर्वाणो न म्रियेत यदा नर: । शस्त्रादिभिरुपाविष्ट स्त्रिरात्रं तत्र निर्दिशेत्
kṣayaṃ śokaṃ prakurvāṇo na mriyeta yadā naraḥ | śastrādibhir upāviṣṭaḥ strirātraṃ tatra nirdiśet ||
Vyāsa dit : Si un homme, accablé par le chagrin et la ruine, s’assied avec l’intention de mourir—soit en jeûnant jusqu’à la mort, soit en tentant de se détruire par des armes et autres moyens—mais ne meurt pas en réalité, alors, même dans ce cas, on doit lui prescrire un jeûne de trois nuits comme expiation de l’acte blâmable qu’il a tenté.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even an unsuccessful attempt at self-destruction—motivated by grief or loss—is treated as a blameworthy act in dharma discourse, and it requires expiation; here, the prescribed remedy is a three-night fast.
Vyāsa states a rule of conduct and penance: if a person, driven by sorrow, undertakes fasting to death or tries to kill himself with weapons but survives, a three-night observance (fast) should be enjoined to remove the fault of the attempted act.