Shloka 21
मोक्षोपाय-निर्णयः
Determination of the Means to Liberation
नैव दस्युर्मनुष्याणां न देवानामिति श्रुति: । न गन्धर्वपितृणां च कः कस्येह न कश्नन
naiva dasyur manuṣyāṇāṁ na devānām iti śrutiḥ | na gandharva-pitṝṇāṁ ca kaḥ kasyeha na kaścana ||
ହୁମତ୍ସେନ କହିଲେ—ଶ୍ରୁତି କହେ, ଦସ୍ୟୁ ନ ମନୁଷ୍ୟଙ୍କର, ନ ଦେବତାଙ୍କର; ନ ଗନ୍ଧର୍ବଙ୍କର, ନ ପିତୃମାନଙ୍କର। ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ‘ଏ ଲୁଟେରା କାହାର?’—ଏମିତି ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ ମଧ୍ୟ ଉଠେନାହିଁ; ଲୁଟେରା ପ୍ରକୃତରେ କାହାର ନୁହେଁ।
हुमत्सेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A life of plunder severs genuine social and moral belonging: a robber cannot be claimed as ‘one of ours’ by any community—human, divine, or ancestral. The verse underscores that wrongdoing isolates the doer from rightful affiliation and protection.
Humat-sena is stating a general dharma-principle in the didactic setting of the Śānti Parva: he cites ‘śruti’ (authoritative tradition) to argue that a bandit has no legitimate claimant or protector, framing the ethical status of criminals as outside normal bonds of kinship and allegiance.