Shloka 51
Āstīka-stuti at Janamejaya’s Sacrifice (आस्तीकस्तुतिः / यज्ञप्रशंसा)
परिहीयेत कि तस्य यदि जीवेत् स पार्थिव: । काश्यपस्य प्रसादेन मन्त्रिणां विनयेन च,यदि मन्त्रियोंके विनय और काश्यपके कृपाप्रसादसे महाराज जीवित हो जाते तो इसमें उस दुष्टकी क्या हानि हो जाती?
parihīyet ki tasya yadi jīvet sa pārthivaḥ | kāśyapasya prasādena mantriṇāṁ vinayena ca ||
Janamejaya berkata: “Apakah kerugian yang akan ditanggung orang jahat itu jika raja terus hidup—diselamatkan oleh rahmat Kāśyapa dan oleh sikap para menteri yang penuh hormat serta mendamaikan? Jika pemerintah dapat dipelihara dengan cara yang benar, mengapa si pesalah harus terlepas tanpa menanggung akibat?”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse probes ethical reasoning in governance: if a king’s life can be preserved through legitimate compassion (a sage’s grace) and proper political conduct (ministers’ vinaya), then the wrongdoer’s interests should not override the higher duty to protect life and uphold righteous order.
Janamejaya challenges the situation by asking why the offender would be ‘harmed’ if the king were allowed to live—especially when survival could occur through Kāśyapa’s favor and the ministers’ respectful intervention—implying that saving the king should have been the preferable course.