Shloka 45
अध्याय २८१ — दानधर्मः, न्यायागतधनम्, ऋणत्रय-परिशोधनं च
Dāna ethics, lawful wealth, and settling obligations
'सुन्दरियो! यह ब्रह्महत्या इन्द्रके पाससे आयी है। तुमलोग मेरे कहनेसे इसका एक चतुर्थाश ग्रहण कर लो” ।।
Bhīṣma uvāca: “Sundariyo! iyaṃ brahmahatyā Indrasya pāśāt āgatā. yūyaṃ mama vacanāt asyāḥ ekaṃ caturthāṃśaṃ gṛhṇīta.” Apsarasa ūcuḥ: “Grahāṇe kṛtabuddhīnām, deveśa, tava śāsanāt; mokṣa-samayataḥ asmākaṃ cintayasva, pitāmaha.”
ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—“ಸುಂದರಿಯರೇ! ಈ ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಹತ್ಯೆ ಇಂದ್ರನಿಂದ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ನನ್ನ ಮಾತಿನಂತೆ ಇದರ ನಾಲ್ಕನೇ ಭಾಗವನ್ನು ನೀವು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಿರಿ.” ಅಪ್ಸರಸರು ಹೇಳಿದರು—“ದೇವೇಶ ಪಿತಾಮಹ! ನಿಮ್ಮ ಆಜ್ಞೆಯಿಂದ ನಾವು ಇದನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಲು ನಿರ್ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದೇವೆ; ಆದರೆ ನಮ್ಮ ವಿಮೋಚನೆಯ ಕಾಲವನ್ನೂ ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಚಿಂತಿಸಿರಿ.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when a burden (especially moral or ritual impurity) is distributed by authority, those who accept it may rightly seek a defined path and time of release; ethical responsibility includes not only bearing consequences but also ensuring a just means of purification and restoration.
Bhishma recounts a situation where the sin of brahma-slaughter associated with Indra is to be apportioned; he instructs the Apsarases to take a quarter-share. They agree out of obedience but request that their eventual release from that sin also be arranged.