Shloka 24
Kīṭopākhyāna: Prajā-pālana as Kṣatra-vrata and the Attainment of Brāhmaṇya
ये भक्षयन्ति मांसानि भूतानां जीवितैषिणाम् । भक्ष्यन्ते तेडपि भूतैस्तैरिति मे नास्ति संशय:
ye bhakṣayanti māṁsāni bhūtānāṁ jīvitaiṣiṇām | bhakṣyante te 'pi bhūtais tair iti me nāsti saṁśayaḥ ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ— ଯେମାନେ ଜୀବନ ରକ୍ଷାକୁ ଆକାଙ୍କ୍ଷା କରୁଥିବା ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କର ମାଂସ ଭକ୍ଷଣ କରନ୍ତି, ସେମାନେ ଅନ୍ୟ ଜନ୍ମରେ ସେହି ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଭକ୍ଷିତ ହୁଅନ୍ତି— ଏଥିରେ ମୋର ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches a karmic principle of moral reciprocity: harming life for food—specifically eating the flesh of beings that wish to live—creates a corresponding consequence, where the eater becomes the eaten in a future birth. The verse supports an ethic of restraint and non-violence (ahiṁsā).
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he delivers a firm admonition about the ethical and karmic repercussions of consuming meat, presenting it as a clear, doubtless rule within his moral teaching.