Shloka 25
Kṣātra-dharma in Campaign and Battle: Protection, Purification, and the Ideal Warrior’s End (क्षात्रधर्मः—अभियानयुद्धे रक्षणदानशुद्धिः)
न गृहे मरणं तात क्षत्रियाणां प्रशस्यते । शौटीराणामशौटीर्यमधर्म कृपणं च तत्,क्योंकि तात! वीर क्षत्रियोंका घरमें मरण हो, यह उनके लिये प्रशंसाकी बात नहीं है। वीरोंके लिये यह कायरता और दीनता अधर्मकी बात है
na gṛhe maraṇaṃ tāta kṣatriyāṇāṃ praśasyate | śauṭīrāṇām aśauṭīryam adharma kṛpaṇaṃ ca tat ||
ビーシュマは言った。「我が子よ、クシャトリヤにとって家の中で死ぬことは称賛されぬ。勇者にとってそのような最期は臆病であり、哀れで不義、ダルマに背く道である。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches kṣatriya-dharma: a warrior’s life is judged by courage and duty. Choosing a passive, sheltered death “at home” is condemned as cowardice and adharma, whereas meeting danger in the rightful performance of duty is the honorable ideal.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs the listener (addressed as “tāta”) on righteous conduct. Here he emphasizes the warrior code, contrasting heroic valor with the disgrace of avoiding one’s ordained responsibilities.