Shloka 18
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
यमोडब्रवीन्मां न मृतोडसि सौम्य यम॑ पश्येत्याह स त्वां तपस्वी । पिता प्रदीप्ताग्निसमानतेजा न तच्छक्यमनृतं विप्र कर्तुम्
yamo 'bravīn māṁ na mṛto 'si saumya yamaṁ paśyety āha sa tvāṁ tapasvī | pitā pradīptāgnisamānatejā na tac chakyaṁ anṛtaṁ vipra kartum ||
ビーシュマは言った。ヤマは私に告げた。「穏やかな者よ、汝は死んではいない。汝の苦行者たる父はただ『ヤマを見よ』と言ったのみだ。おおブラーフマナよ、汝の父は燃えさかる火のごとき威光を放つ。その言葉を虚偽にすることはできぬ。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes satya (truth) as a binding moral force: the word of a spiritually powerful, truthful ascetic cannot be rendered false. Dharma operates so that even seemingly grim statements are fulfilled without violating truth.
Yama addresses the speaker (as reported by Bhishma), clarifying that he is not actually dead; he has come to Yama because his ascetic father instructed him to 'see Yama.' Yama explains that the father’s fiery spiritual radiance makes his statement inviolable, so events unfold to honor that word.