Shloka 20
Adhyāya 142: Cyavana, the Devas’ Arrogance, and Vāyu’s Counsel on Protecting Brāhmaṇas
सहस्रचित्यो: राजर्षि: प्राणानिष्टान् महायशा: । ब्राह्मणार्थे परित्यज्य गतो लोकाननुच्तमान्
sahasracityo rājārṣiḥ prāṇān iṣṭān mahāyaśāḥ | brāhmaṇārthe parityajya gato lokān anuttamān ||
ភីṣ្មៈបានមានព្រះវាចា៖ «សហស្រចិត្យៈ រាជឥសីដ៏មានកេរ្តិ៍ឈ្មោះ បានបោះបង់សូម្បីជីវិតដែលខ្លួនស្រឡាញ់ ដើម្បីប្រយោជន៍ព្រាហ្មណ៍មួយ ហើយដោយយញ្ញទានដ៏ខ្ពង់ខ្ពស់នោះ បានឈានទៅលោកដ៏ប្រសើរបំផុត»។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That the highest dharmic merit can lie in self-sacrifice for the protection and welfare of a brāhmaṇa and the sacred order; renouncing even one’s life for such a cause is portrayed as leading to unsurpassed spiritual attainment.
Bhīṣma cites the example of the famed royal sage Sahasracitya, who gave up his cherished life for a brāhmaṇa’s sake, and as a result is said to have attained the highest worlds—an illustrative precedent within Bhīṣma’s dharma-instruction.