Shloka 16
शल्मलि–पवनसंवादः
The Dialogue of Śalmali and Pavana
एवमेतत् पुरावृत्तं लुब्धकस्य महात्मन: । कपोतस्य च धर्मिष्ठा गति: पुण्येन कर्मणा
evam etat purāvṛttaṃ lubdhakasya mahātmanaḥ | kapotasya ca dharmiṣṭhā gatiḥ puṇyena karmaṇā ||
यह प्राचीन वृत्तान्त ऐसा ही है। पुण्यकर्म के प्रभाव से बहेलिये और महात्मा कबूतर—दोनों ने धर्मात्माओं की गति (कल्याणमयी अवस्था) प्राप्त की।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is measured by conduct and intention, not by social identity: even a hunter, when acting with virtue and responding rightly to a dharmic example, can attain a blessed destiny through puṇya-karma.
Bhishma concludes an old illustrative tale, stating that the episode demonstrates how both the hunter (lubdhaka) and the pigeon (kapota) reached a righteous, meritorious end due to their virtuous actions.