Shloka 186
अहिंसा-प्रधान धर्मविचारः
Ahiṃsā as the Superior Dharma: Practical and Scriptural Reasoning
तस्थौ पद्मानि षट् चैव पज्च द्वे चैव मानद । “मृत्यो! तुम मेरी आज्ञाका पालन करो।” दूसरोंको मान देनेवाले तात! उनके इस कथनका आदर न करके मृत्युने तुरंत ही दूसरे बीस पद्म वर्षोतक पुनः एक पैरपर खड़ी हो तपस्या आरम्भ कर दी
tasthau padmāni ṣaṭ caiva pañca dve caiva mānada | “mṛtyo! tvaṁ mama ājñāyāḥ pālanaṁ kuru” iti | anyān mānayitā tāta! teṣāṁ vacanam anādṛtya mṛtyur acireṇaiva punar api viṁśati-padma-varṣāṇi ekapādena sthitvā tapa ārabdhavān |
Bhīṣma disse: “Ó Morte, obedece ao meu comando.” Contudo, a Morte não honrou essas palavras. Ao contrário, desprezando a ordem, retomou de imediato as austeridades—de novo em pé sobre um só pé—por mais vinte anos padma.
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical weight of tapas and personal vows: steadfast adherence to one’s chosen discipline is portrayed as a powerful moral force, sometimes even overriding external commands. It frames self-restraint and commitment as central to dharma.
Bhishma reports that Death is instructed—“Obey my command”—but Death does not comply. Instead, Death immediately resumes severe austerities, standing on one foot for another twenty padma-years, emphasizing relentless ascetic resolve.