Shloka 20
Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)
दस्यूनां दीयतामेष साध्वद्य पुरुषाधम:
dasyūnāṃ dīyatām eṣa sādhv adya puruṣādhamaḥ, na dātum arhasi tvaṃ no bhakṣaṇāyāsya kilviṣam |
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai Maharaja, hari ini serahkanlah manusia hina ini kepada para dasyu. Jangan paksa kami memakannya hingga menanggung dosa karena memangsanya.” Demikianlah semua raksasa pengembara malam menundukkan kepala di kaki raja raksasa dan memohon.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even those portrayed as fierce (rākṣasas) recognize moral accountability: one should not be forced into an act that brings 'kilviṣa' (sin). The verse highlights ethical agency and the idea that wrongdoing contaminates the doer, so restraint and right allocation of punishment/food are framed as dharmic concerns.
A group of rākṣasas address their king, urging him to give the 'puruṣādhama' (vile man) to the dasyus instead, and to spare them the sinful act of eating him. They then bow at the king’s feet and make a collective supplication.