Shloka 7
अध्याय १५२: लोभः पापस्य मूलम् — Greed as the Root of Wrongdoing
निर्विद्यमान: सुभृशं भूयो वक्ष्यामि शाश्वतम् | भूयश्चैवाभिरक्षन्तु निर्धनान् निर्जना इव,“ब्राह्मणोंके शाप दे देनेपर हमारे कुलका कुछ भी शेष नहीं रह जायगा। हम अपने पापके कारण न तो समाजमें प्रशंसा पा रहे हैं न सजातीय बन्धुओंके साथ एकमत ही हो रहे हैं; अतः अत्यन्त खेद और विरक्तिको प्राप्त होकर हम पुनः वेदोंका निश्चयात्मक ज्ञान रखनेवाले आप-चजैसे ब्राह्मणोंसे सदा यही कहेंगे कि जैसे निर्जन स्थानमें रहनेवाले योगीजन पापी पुरुषोंकी रक्षा करते हैं, उसी प्रकार आपलतो अपनी दयासे ही हम-जैसे दुखी मनुष्योंकी रक्षा करें
bhīṣma uvāca | nirvidyamānaḥ subhṛśaṃ bhūyo vakṣyāmi śāśvatam | bhūyaś caivābhirakṣantu nirdhanān nirjanā iva ||
అత్యంత నిరుత్సాహంతో నేను మళ్లీ శాశ్వతమైన మాటనే చెబుతున్నాను; మళ్లీ—నిర్జనవాసి తపస్వుల వలె—వారు నిర్ధనులను రక్షించుగాక.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when people have fallen into wrongdoing and social disrepute, the righteous—especially those grounded in Vedic wisdom and renunciation—should extend protection and guidance to the vulnerable. The verse frames compassion and guardianship as a dharmic duty, likening it to the quiet, non-worldly protection offered by solitary ascetics.
Bhishma continues a didactic discourse in the Shanti Parva. The passage (as reflected in the accompanying Hindi gloss) presents a plea to Brahmins: fearing the destructive power of a Brahmin’s curse and acknowledging their own sins and loss of honor, the speakers seek mercy and protection—asking the Brahmins to safeguard them as secluded yogins would protect even sinners.