Shloka 30
अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence
प्रहरेन्न नरेन्द्रेषु न हन्याद् गां तथैव च । भ्रूणहत्यासमं चैव उभयं यो निषेवते
praharenna narendreṣu na hanyād gāṃ tathaiva ca | bhrūṇahatyāsamaṃ caiva ubhayaṃ yo niṣevate ||
भीष्म उवाच—प्रहरेन्न नरेन्द्रेषु न हन्याद् गां तथैव च । भ्रूणहत्यासमं चैव उभयं यो निषेवते ॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets two strong prohibitions within dharma: do not commit violence against a king and do not kill a cow. Either act is treated as an extremely grave transgression, equated here with bhrūṇahatya (killing an embryo), underscoring the seriousness of violating social order and sacred protection.
In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and proper conduct. Here he delivers a rule-like ethical injunction, classifying certain acts as severely sinful to guide royal and general behavior.