Shloka 26
Kṣātra-dharma in Campaign and Battle: Protection, Purification, and the Ideal Warrior’s End (क्षात्रधर्मः—अभियानयुद्धे रक्षणदानशुद्धिः)
इदं दुःखं महत् कष्ट पापीय इति निष्टनन् । प्रतिध्वस्तमुख: पूतिरमात्याननुशोचयन्
idaṃ duḥkhaṃ mahat kaṣṭa pāpīya iti niṣṭanan | pratidhvastamukhaḥ pūtir amātyān anuśocayan |
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—“ଏହା ମହାଦୁଃଖ, ଘୋର କଷ୍ଟ; ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଏହା କୌଣସି ଭାରୀ ପାପର ସୂଚନା”—ଏଭଳି ଆର୍ତ୍ତନାଦ କରିବା; ମୁହଁ ବିକୃତ ଓ ନମାଇ ରଖିବା; ଦେହରେ ଦୁର୍ଗନ୍ଧ ଥାଇ ଅମାତ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ନିରନ୍ତର ଶୋକ କରିବା—ଏପରି ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ସ୍ୱାଭିମାନୀ ଶୂରଙ୍କୁ ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ନୁହେଁ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that a noble person—especially a self-respecting warrior—should meet suffering and death with steadiness, not with self-pitying lamentation, obsessive fear, or repeated wishing for death; dignity, restraint, and courage are ethical ideals even in illness.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction-setting, Bhīṣma describes an undignified response to sickness and impending death—wailing, becoming disfigured in expression, neglecting oneself, and grieving for one’s ministers—then condemns such a death as unworthy of a proud hero.