Shloka 44
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
असत्यपि कृते कार्य नेह पन्नग लिप्यते । तस्मान्नात्रैव हेतु: स्याद् वध्य: कि बहु भाषसे
asaty api kṛte kārye neha pannaga lipyate | tasmān nātraiva hetuḥ syād vadhyaḥ ki bahu bhāṣase ||
व्याध म्हणाला—हे पन्नगा! आवश्यक कार्य साध्य करण्यासाठी असत्याचा आधार घेतला तरी येथे सर्पावर दोष लागत नाही. म्हणून या प्रकरणी वधाचे कारण नाही; तू इतके का बोलतोस?
लुब्धक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse argues that moral blame does not automatically attach to an agent merely because an untruth was used in the course of accomplishing a necessary act; therefore, such a circumstance alone cannot justify violence (killing) against the serpent.
The hunter addresses the serpent and rejects the claim that the serpent deserves death. He maintains that even if some falsehood occurred in getting a task done, it does not make the serpent culpable here, and he challenges the other party’s prolonged argument for killing.