Shloka 40
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
अमात्यान् वा गुरून् वापि जह्याद् धर्मेण धार्मिक: । प्रायक्षित्तमकुर्वाणैनैतैरहीति संविदम्,धार्मिक राजा अपने मन्त्री और गुरुजनोंको भी पतित हो जानेपर धर्मानुसार त्याग दे और जबतक ये अपने पापोंका प्रायश्चित्त न कर लें, तबतक इनके साथ बातचीत न करे
amātyān vā gurūn vāpi jahyād dharmeṇa dhārmikaḥ | prāyaścittam akurvāṇān etair ahīti-saṃvidam ||
Bhishma berkata: Seorang raja yang saleh, bertindak menurut dharma, hendaknya menyingkirkan bahkan para menteri atau gurunya bila mereka jatuh ke dalam kesalahan. Dan selama mereka belum menjalankan penebusan (prāyaścitta) atas dosanya, ia tidak patut bergaul atau bercakap-cakap dengan mereka.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even high-status figures—ministers and gurus—are not exempt from moral accountability. A righteous ruler must uphold dharma by withdrawing recognition and association from those who have fallen into sin, and should restore relations only after they complete proper prāyaścitta (expiation).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship and conduct, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira on governance: the king must protect the moral order of the realm by distancing himself from fallen officials or teachers until they atone, thereby preventing corruption of the court and setting a public standard of dharmic discipline.