Shloka 17
यजमानांस्तु तान् दृष्टवा सर्वान् दीक्षानुकर्शितान् । हन्तुमैच्छन्त शैलाभा: खलिनो नाम दानवा:
yajamānāṁs tu tān dṛṣṭvā sarvān dīkṣānukarśitān | hantum aicchanta śailābhāḥ khalino nāma dānavāḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Melihat semua para pelaksana korban suci—masing-masing menjadi kurus kerana disiplin pentahbisan (dīkṣā)—para Dānava bernama Khalin, yang tubuhnya laksana gunung, berhasrat membunuh mereka. Peristiwa ini menegaskan bahawa mereka yang dilemahkan oleh nazar suci mudah menjadi sasaran adharma, dan kekerasan terhadap yajña dianggap pelanggaran moral yang berat yang mengundang pertikaian.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Harming those engaged in yajña and weakened by dīkṣā is portrayed as adharma; sacred observance deserves protection, and aggression against it becomes a moral fault that precipitates justified resistance and wider conflict.
The Dānavas called Khalin see the sacrificers (devas/ritual performers) grown thin from consecration vows and decide to kill them, setting the stage for a clash between opposing forces over the integrity of the sacrifice.