Shloka 273
Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda
जीवितार्थापनयनै: प्राणिभिर्न स बद्धाते । जो मन, वाणी, क्रिया तथा अन्य कारणोंद्वारा किसी भी प्राणीकी जीविकाका अपहरण करके उसकी हिंसा नहीं करता, उसको दूसरे प्राणी भी वध या बन्धनके कष्टमें नहीं डालते
jīvitārthāpāyanaiḥ prāṇibhir na sa baddhyate | yo manaḥ-vāṇī-kriyā tathā anya-kāraṇaiḥ dvārā kasyāpi prāṇinaḥ jīvikām apahṛtya tasya hiṃsāṃ na karoti, taṃ anye prāṇino'pi vadha-vā bandhana-duḥkhe na pātayanti |
Itinuro ni Bhishma: ang hindi umaagaw sa alinmang nilalang ng ikabubuhay nito—sa isip man, sa salita, sa gawa, o sa anumang paraan—at sa gayon ay hindi nananakit, ay hindi rin ilulugmok ng ibang nilalang sa pagdurusa ng pagpatay o pagkabihag. Ipinahihiwatig nito na ang ahimsa ay hindi lamang pag-iwas sa pisikal na karahasan, kundi pag-iwas din sa pinsalang pangkabuhayan o pang-iral na sumisira sa sandigan ng buhay ng kapwa.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ahimsa is not limited to avoiding physical injury; it also includes not taking away another being’s livelihood. One who refrains from harming others through mind, speech, action, or any other means is protected from reciprocal harm such as killing or captivity.
In the Shanti Parva’s dharma-instruction, Bhishma continues advising on righteous conduct. Here he emphasizes a practical ethical rule: do not destroy another’s life-support, because such restraint aligns one with dharma and prevents cycles of retaliation and suffering.