Shloka 5
यज्ञेऽहिंसा-प्राधान्यम्
Primacy of Non-Harm in Sacrificial Ethics
सर्वकर्मस्वहिंसा हि धर्मात्मा मनुरब्रवीत् । कामकाराद् विहिंसन्ति बहिर्वेद्यां पशून् नरा:
sarvakarmasv ahiṃsā hi dharmātmā manur abravīt | kāmakārād vihiṃsanti bahirvedyāṃ paśūn narāḥ ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଧର୍ମାତ୍ମା ମନୁ ସମସ୍ତ କର୍ମରେ ଅହିଂସାକୁ ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଧର୍ମ ବୋଲି ଘୋଷଣା କରିଥିଲେ। ତଥାପି ଲୋକେ ନିଜ ଇଚ୍ଛାରେ ପ୍ରେରିତ ହୋଇ ଯଜ୍ଞର ବାହ୍ୟ ବେଦୀରେ ପଶୁହିଂସା କରନ୍ତି।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Non-violence is upheld as the overarching rule across all duties and rituals; violence in the name of sacrifice, when motivated by personal desire rather than true dharma, is condemned.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he cites Manu’s authority to emphasize ahiṃsā, then contrasts it with the common practice of animal sacrifice performed on the outer altar, attributing it to desire-driven conduct.