Adhyāya 270 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on saṃnyāsa; Bhīṣma on calculable time, tamas, and karma
Vṛtra–Uśanā exemplum begins
कामलोभानुबन्धेन पुरा ते यदसूयितम् । मया स्नेहमविज्ञाय तत्र मे क्षन्तुमहसि
kāmalobhānubandhena purā te yad asūyitam | mayā sneham avijñāya tatra me kṣantum arhasi ||
भीष्मजी बोले—पहले काम और लोभ के बन्धन में पड़कर मैंने तुम्हारे प्रति जो ईर्ष्या-भरे वचन कहे थे, उनमें छिपे स्नेह को न समझ पाने के कारण, उस अपराध के लिए तुम्हें मुझे क्षमा करना चाहिए।
भीष्म उवाच
Desire and greed distort judgment and speech; recognizing this, one should admit fault and seek forgiveness, restoring relationships through humility and ethical self-correction.
Bhīṣma, in his instructive discourse, recalls a prior moment when he spoke resentfully under the influence of kāma and lobha, and he asks the addressed person to pardon him for that lapse.