Shloka 112
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
अश्त्र॑ पुरुषं हत्वा सशस्त्र: पुरुषाधम: । अर्थार्थी यदि वा वैरी स मृतो जायते खर:
aśastraṃ puruṣaṃ hatvā saśastraḥ puruṣādhamaḥ | arthārthī yadi vā vairī sa mṛto jāyate kharaḥ ||
Barangsiapa bersenjata membunuh orang yang tak bersenjata, dialah yang paling hina di antara manusia. Entah karena tamak akan harta atau karena permusuhan—setelah mati ia terlahir kembali sebagai keledai.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns the act of an armed person killing an unarmed person as a grave adharma. Motive—profit or enmity—does not excuse it; such violence is portrayed as leading to a degrading rebirth, underscoring accountability through karma.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-oriented setting, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a moral-legal principle about righteous conduct, especially relevant to warfare and power: protect the defenseless and do not exploit superiority of arms; violation brings severe moral and karmic consequence.