Shloka 38
Babhruvāhana’s Lament and Appeal for Expiation (प्रायश्चित्त-याचना)
वीरं हि क्षत्रियं हत्वा गोशतेन प्रमुच्यते । पितरं तु निहत्यैवं दुर्लभा निष्कृतिर्मम
vīraṃ hi kṣatriyaṃ hatvā gośatena pramucyate | pitaraṃ tu nihatyaivaṃ durlabhā niṣkṛtir mama ||
«ព្រោះសម្លាប់វីរខ្សត្រីយម្នាក់ គេអាចរួចផុតពីបាបនោះដោយការបរិច្ចាគគោមួយរយក្បាល។ ប៉ុន្តែសម្លាប់ឪពុករបស់ខ្លួនហើយ ឲ្យរួចផុតពីកំហុសនោះដោយវិធីដូចគ្នា—ការប្រាយបាបបែបនោះ សម្រាប់ខ្ញុំ វាពិតជាកម្រណាស់»។
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts degrees of moral transgression: even grave violence like killing a heroic warrior is presented as having a recognized expiation (a hundred cow-gifts), whereas killing one’s father is portrayed as a uniquely weighty sin whose atonement is extremely difficult.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a reflection on guilt and expiation: the speaker measures conventional ritual atonements for battlefield killing against the far more severe, socially and ethically catastrophic act of patricide, emphasizing the near-impossibility of cleansing that stain.