Shloka 20
Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154
यूयं भूमौ विनिक्षिप्य पुत्रस्नेहविनाकृता: । श्मशाने सुतमुत्सूज्य कस्माद् गच्छत निर्घणा:
yūyaṃ bhūmau vinikṣipya putrasnehavinākṛtāḥ | śmaśāne sutam utsṛjya kasmād gacchata nirghṛṇāḥ ||
ភីស្មៈបានមានព្រះវាចា៖ «តើអ្នកទាំងឡាយអាចឃោរឃៅដល់ប៉ុណ្ណានេះ? ដោយបោះបង់សេចក្តីស្រឡាញ់ចំពោះកូនប្រុស អ្នកបាននាំកុមារតូចទន់ភ្លន់នេះមកដាក់លើដីនៃទីបូជាសព។ ហេតុអ្វីបានជាអ្នកទុកកូនរបស់ខ្លួននៅក្នុងទីសពនេះ ហើយដើរចាកចេញ?»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse censures hardness of heart: abandoning natural compassion—especially parental affection—and leaving a child in a cremation ground is portrayed as adharma. It highlights karuṇā (compassion) and responsibility toward dependents as ethical imperatives.
Bhīṣma addresses a group who have brought a child to the cremation ground and left him there. He rebukes them as “nirghṛṇa” (merciless) and questions their motive for abandoning the boy in such a place.