Shloka 2
Adhyāya 174: Karma as an inescapable companion (कर्मानुगमन-उपदेश)
ततः प्रज्वाल्य नृपतिर्बकराजं प्रतापवान् । प्रेतकार्याणि विधिवद् राक्षसेन्द्रश्नकार ह,तत्पश्चात् बकराजके शवको उसके ऊपर रखकर प्रतापी राक्षसराजने उसमें आग लगायी और विधिपूर्वक मित्रका दाह-कर्म सम्पन्न किया
tataḥ prajvālya nṛpatir bakarājaṃ pratāpavān | pretakāryāṇi vidhivad rākṣasendraś cakāra ha ||
Então o poderoso rei acendeu a pira funerária de Bakarāja e, conforme o rito, cumpriu os deveres prescritos para os mortos. Assim, o senhor dos rākṣasas realizou a cremação do amigo segundo o costume devido—mostrando que, mesmo entre seres ferozes, a lealdade e o dever ritual se mantêm quando a morte chega.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed as fidelity to prescribed rites and obligations: even in grief or among fierce beings, one should perform funerary duties properly, honoring the dead and upholding social-ritual order.
After Bakarāja’s death, the powerful ruler (described as a rākṣasa-lord) lights the cremation fire and completes the funerary rites in the correct ritual manner.