Shloka 32
राजधर्मप्रश्नः — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry into Rājadharma (Śānti-parva 56)
अभिशस्तमपि होषां कृपायीत विशाम्पते । ब्रह्मघ्ने गुरुतल्ये च भ्रूणहत्ये तथैव च
abhiśastam api hoṣāṃ kṛpāyīta viśāmpate | brahmaghne gurutalye ca bhrūṇahatye tathaiva ca ||
ಪ್ರಜಾನಾಥನೇ, ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಅಪವಾದದಿಂದ ಕಲಂಕಿತನಾದವನ ಮೇಲೂ ಕರುಣೆ ತೋರಬೇಕು. ಬ್ರಹ್ಮಹತ್ಯೆ, ಗುರುಪತ್ನೀಗಮನ, ಭ್ರೂಣಹತ್ಯೆ ಇಂತಹ ಅಪರಾಧಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ (ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನ ವಿಷಯದಲ್ಲಿ) ದೇಹದಂಡಕ್ಕೆ ಧಾವಿಸದೆ ದೇಶನಿರ্বাসನೆಯೇ ವಿಧಿಯೆಂದು ಹೇಳಲಾಗಿದೆ.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Royal justice should be tempered by compassion; even grave offenders—especially Brahmins—are not to be subjected to bodily punishment, with expulsion presented as the restrained, dharmic response.
In the Shanti Parva discourse on rajadharma, Bhishma instructs the king on how to administer punishment, emphasizing mercy and limits on physical penalties even for severe transgressions.