Shloka 32
Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 5 — Karmaphala-Nirdeśa and Phalāśruti (कर्मफलनिर्देशः फलश्रुतिश्च)
ततः समापयामासु: कर्म तत् तस्य याजका: । आस्तीकश्चा भवत् प्रीत: परिमोक्ष्य भुजड्रमान्,तदनन्तर उनके पुरोहितोंने उस यज्ञकर्मको समाप्त कराया। सर्पोंको प्राणसंकटसे छुटकारा दिलाकर आस्तीक मुनिको भी बड़ी प्रसन्नता हुई
tataḥ samāpayāmāsuḥ karma tat tasya yājakāḥ | āstīkaś ca abhavat prītaḥ parimokṣya bhujaṅgamān ||
Then the officiating priests brought that sacrificial rite to its conclusion. Having rescued the serpents from mortal peril, the sage Āstīka too became deeply pleased—an affirmation that ritual power is to be restrained by dharma and compassion when it turns toward indiscriminate harm.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a powerful ritual act must remain governed by dharma: when an action—however sanctioned by tradition—threatens indiscriminate destruction, compassion and moral restraint should intervene to protect life.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the priests conclude the sacrificial rite, and Āstīka is pleased because he has successfully delivered the serpents from imminent death.