Shloka 101
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ११०: पार्थभीमयोः प्रहारः तथा भीष्माभिमुखं संग्रामविस्तारः
Arjuna and Bhima’s pressure; escalation toward Bhishma
ज्यायांसमपि चेद् वृद्ध गुणैरपि समन्वितम् । आततायिनमायान्तं हन्याद् घातकमात्मन:,कोई बड़े-से-बड़े गुरुजन, वृद्ध और सर्वगुणसम्पन्न पुरुष ही क्यों न हों, यदि शस्त्र उठाकर अपना वध करनेके लिये आ रहे हों तो उस आततायीको अवश्य मार डालना चाहिये
jyāyāṃsam api ced vṛddhaṃ guṇair api samanvitam | ātatāyinam āyāntaṃ hanyād ghātakam ātmanaḥ ||
કોઈ શ્રેષ્ઠ, વૃદ્ધ અને ગુણસમ્પન્ન પુરુષ પણ જો શસ્ત્ર ઉઠાવી તારો વધ કરવા આતતાયી બનીને આવે, તો તે ઘાતકને અવશ્ય મારવો જોઈએ।
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
When someone approaches as an ātatāyin—an imminent, deadly aggressor—one must defend oneself even to the point of killing, regardless of the attacker’s seniority, social superiority, or personal virtues.
Vāyudeva states a dharma-rule about responding to an approaching attacker: if a person comes with intent to kill, he is to be treated as an ātatāyin and may be slain in self-defense, even if he would normally deserve reverence.