Shloka 5
Kāma–Mamatā–Upadeśa
Discourse on Desire, Possessiveness, and Ritual Duty
अविनाशो<स्य सत्त्वस्य नियतो यदि भारत | भित्त्वा शरीरं भूतानामहिंसां प्रतिपद्यते
avināśo 'sya sattvasya niyato yadi bhārata | bhittvā śarīraṃ bhūtānām ahiṃsāṃ pratipadyate ||
ವಾಯು ಹೇಳಿದರು— ಓ ಭಾರತ, ಈ ಲೋಕದ ಸತ್ತ್ವವು ಅವಿನಾಶಿ ಎಂಬುದು ನಿಶ್ಚಿತವೆಂದು ಹಿಡಿದರೆ, ಆ ತರ್ಕದಂತೆ ಜೀವಿಗಳ ದೇಹವನ್ನು ಭೇದಿಸಿದರೂ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಅಹಿಂಸೆಯ ಫಲವನ್ನು ಪಡೆದಂತಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse tests a moral argument: if one assumes that the true essence of beings is indestructible, then physical harm could be wrongly claimed to be compatible with non-violence. It highlights the danger of using metaphysical claims to excuse हिंसा (harm) and to confuse ethical accountability.
Vāyudeva addresses a Bharata prince in a didactic exchange, presenting a pointed line of reasoning about indestructibility and the supposed ‘fruit’ of ahiṃsā, as part of a broader discussion on dharma and the moral evaluation of injury and action.