Shloka 13
Śīla-prāpti and Śīla-lakṣaṇa (शीलप्राप्ति-शीललक्षणम्) | On the Acquisition and Marks of Character
यः पाप॑ कुरुते राजा काममोहबलात्कृतः । प्रत्यासन्नस्य तस्यर्षे कि स्थात् पापप्रणाशनम्,“महर्षे! यदि कोई राजा काम और मोहके वशीभूत होकर पाप कर बैठे, किंतु फिर उसे पश्चात्ताप होने लगे तो उसके उस पापको दूर करनेके लिये कौन-सा प्रायश्ित्त है?
yaḥ pāpaṃ karute rājā kāma-moha-balāt kṛtaḥ | pratyāsannasya tasyarṣe kiṃ syāt pāpa-praṇāśanam ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai resi agung, bila seorang raja—dikuasai oleh kekuatan nafsu dan kebingungan—melakukan perbuatan berdosa, namun kemudian penyesalan bangkit dalam dirinya, penebusan apakah yang dapat memusnahkan dosa itu?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when wrongdoing is driven by desire and delusion, the text frames moral recovery through prāyaścitta (expiation) grounded in remorse and a return to dharma, emphasizing accountability in kingship.
In the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse, Bhīṣma raises a question to a sage about what expiatory measure can remove a king’s sin when the king later becomes repentant.