Shloka 5
Kāma–Mamatā–Upadeśa
Discourse on Desire, Possessiveness, and Ritual Duty
अविनाशो<स्य सत्त्वस्य नियतो यदि भारत | भित्त्वा शरीरं भूतानामहिंसां प्रतिपद्यते
avināśo 'sya sattvasya niyato yadi bhārata | bhittvā śarīraṃ bhūtānām ahiṃsāṃ pratipadyate ||
Vāyu berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, jika dipegang sebagai kepastian bahawa hakikat wujud dunia ini tidak dapat dimusnahkan, maka menurut hujah itu, sekalipun dengan menikam tubuh makhluk hidup, seseorang tetap akan memperoleh buah ahimsa (tanpa kekerasan).”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse tests a moral argument: if one assumes that the true essence of beings is indestructible, then physical harm could be wrongly claimed to be compatible with non-violence. It highlights the danger of using metaphysical claims to excuse हिंसा (harm) and to confuse ethical accountability.
Vāyudeva addresses a Bharata prince in a didactic exchange, presenting a pointed line of reasoning about indestructibility and the supposed ‘fruit’ of ahiṃsā, as part of a broader discussion on dharma and the moral evaluation of injury and action.