Shloka 28
अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च
Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations
भीष्म उवाच तथेति तां प्राह तदा ब्रह्म॒वध्यां पितामह: । उपायत: स शक्रस्य ब्रह्म॒वध्यां व्यपोहत
bhīṣma uvāca | tatheti tāṁ prāha tadā brahmavadhyāṁ pitāmahaḥ | upāyataḥ sa śakrasya brahmavadhyāṁ vyapohat |
भीष्म बोले—“तथास्तु।” तब पितामह ब्रह्मा ने ब्रह्महत्या (ब्रह्मवध्या) से कहा—“बहुत अच्छा; मैं तुम्हारे रहने की व्यवस्था करता हूँ।” ऐसा कहकर उन्होंने उपायपूर्वक शक्र (इन्द्र) पर लगी ब्रह्महत्या को दूर कर दिया।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the highest authority is accountable to dharma: grave wrongdoing generates a real moral taint (here personified as Brahmavadhyā) that must be addressed through an appropriate, dharma-aligned remedy. The text emphasizes responsibility, expiation, and restoration of order rather than denial of guilt.
Bhīṣma recounts that Brahmā assents and speaks to the personified Brahmavadhyā, promising to arrange a place for her; then, by an expedient method, he removes the brahma-slaughter taint that had come upon Indra (Śakra).