Shloka 19
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
सहसंजातवृद्धस्य तथैव सहभोजिन: । शरणागतस्य च वधस्त्रिविधं होव पातकम्
saha-saṃjāta-vṛddhasya tathaiva saha-bhojinaḥ | śaraṇāgatasya ca vadhas trividhaṃ hova pātakam ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯେ ତୁମ ସହିତ ଜନ୍ମିଛି ଓ ସହିତେ ପାଳିତ-ପୋଷିତ ହୋଇଛି, ଯେ ତୁମ ସହିତ ଭୋଜନ କରେ, ଏବଂ ଯେ ଶରଣ ନେଇ ଆସିଛି—ଏମିତି ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଙ୍କୁ ବଧ କରିବା ତ୍ରିବିଧ ପାତକ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that killing a person bound to you by intimate social and moral ties—shared birth/upbringing, shared food, and especially refuge—constitutes a compounded (threefold) moral transgression, because it breaks multiple layers of dharma: loyalty, hospitality, and the duty to protect the surrendered.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma-instruction, Bhishma is laying down ethical rules for conduct. Here he specifies a grave prohibition: the slaying of a close associate and a refuge-seeker is not a single fault but a triple pātaka, emphasizing the heightened culpability when trust and protection are violated.