Shloka 30
Kṣātra-dharma in Campaign and Battle: Protection, Purification, and the Ideal Warrior’s End (क्षात्रधर्मः—अभियानयुद्धे रक्षणदानशुद्धिः)
स संख्ये निधन प्राप्प प्रशसस््तं लोकपूजितम् । स्वथधर्म विपुलं प्राप्प शक्रस्पेति सलोकताम्,वह युद्धमें लोकपूजित सर्वश्रेष्ठ मृत्यु एवं महान् धर्मको पाकर इन्द्रलोकमें चला जाता है
sa saṅkhye nidhanaṁ prāpya praśastaṁ lokapūjitam | svadharmaṁ vipulaṁ prāpya śakrasya iti salokatām ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Barangsiapa gugur di medan laga—kematian mulia yang dipuja dunia—setelah meraih pahala besar melalui svadharma-nya, ia mencapai alam yang sama dengan Śakra (Indra).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fulfilling one’s svadharma—especially the kṣatriya duty of facing battle without abandoning one’s post—yields great merit; a valorous, socially honored death in righteous combat is presented as leading to Indra’s realm.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he describes the spiritual outcome for a warrior who dies in battle: such a death is praised and world-honored, and the person attains the heavenly world associated with Śakra (Indra).