Shloka 16
शल्मलि–पवनसंवादः
The Dialogue of Śalmali and Pavana
एवमेतत् पुरावृत्तं लुब्धकस्य महात्मन: । कपोतस्य च धर्मिष्ठा गति: पुण्येन कर्मणा
evam etat purāvṛttaṃ lubdhakasya mahātmanaḥ | kapotasya ca dharmiṣṭhā gatiḥ puṇyena karmaṇā ||
Бхишма сказал: «Так оно и есть — это древний рассказ. Заслугой своих праведных деяний и охотник, и благородный голубь достигли дхармического пути — благого удела, предназначенного добродетельным.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is measured by conduct and intention, not by social identity: even a hunter, when acting with virtue and responding rightly to a dharmic example, can attain a blessed destiny through puṇya-karma.
Bhishma concludes an old illustrative tale, stating that the episode demonstrates how both the hunter (lubdhaka) and the pigeon (kapota) reached a righteous, meritorious end due to their virtuous actions.