Shloka 49
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
गुरुतल्पमधिष्ठाय दुरात्मा पापचेतन: । स्त्रयाकारां प्रतिमां लिंग्य मृत्युना सोडभिशुद्धयति,पापपूर्ण विचार रखनेवाला दुरात्मा पुरुष यदि गुरुपत्नीगगमनका पाप कर बैठे तो वह लोहेकी गरम की हुई नारी-प्रतिमाका आलिड्नन करके प्राण दे देनेपर ही उस पापसे शुद्ध होता है
Bhīṣma uvāca: gurutalpam adhiṣṭhāya durātmā pāpacetanaḥ | striy-ākārāṃ pratimāṃ liṅgya mṛtyunā so ’bhiśuddhyati ||
Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: Ang masamang tao na may makasalanang hangarin, na lumapastangan sa higaan ng guro (ibig sabihin, nangalunya sa asawa ng guru), ay nalilinis mula sa kasalanang iyon sa pamamagitan lamang ng pagyakap sa isang anyong-babaeng larawan (bakal na rebultong pinainit) at pagkamatay dahil doon. Inilalahad dito ang sukdulang tuntunin ng pagtubos upang idiin ang bigat ng paglabag sa sambahayan ng guro at ang kabanalan ng dharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses that violating the guru’s marital sanctity (gurutalpa) is among the gravest dharma-transgressions, and it frames purification as requiring an extreme, life-ending expiation—highlighting the seriousness of the offense and the ideal of uncompromising moral accountability.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma instruction, Bhishma is describing prāyaścitta (expiatory discipline). Here he states a specific, severe expiation for the sin of approaching the guru’s bed—embracing a woman-shaped effigy (understood as heated iron) and dying, which is said to cleanse the sin.