Shloka 18
Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154
ध्वांक्षपक्षसवर्णस्तु बिलान्नि:सृत्य जम्बुक:ः । गच्छमानान् सम तानाह निर्घणा: खलु मानुषा:,इतनेहीमें कौएकी पाँखके समान काले रंगका एक गीदड़ अपनी माँद (घूरी) से निकलकर उन लौटते हुए बान्धवोंसे कहा--“मनुष्यो! तुम बड़े निर्दय हो!
dhvāṅkṣa-pakṣa-savarṇas tu bilān niḥsṛtya jambukaḥ | gacchamānān sa tān āha nirghṛṇāḥ khalu mānuṣāḥ ||
اتنے میں کوّے کے پروں جیسا سیاہ رنگ رکھنے والا ایک گیدڑ اپنی کھوہ سے نکل آیا اور جاتے ہوئے اُن رشتہ داروں سے بولا—“اے انسانو! تم واقعی بڑے بے رحم ہو!”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral rebuke: cruelty and lack of compassion are condemned as a human failing. By putting the accusation in the mouth of a jackal, the narrative sharpens the ethical contrast—humans, who should uphold dharma, are portrayed as acting more pitilessly than animals.
A crow-dark jackal emerges from its den and calls out to a group of people (described as kinsmen) who are leaving. It directly criticizes them, declaring that humans are merciless—setting up or continuing a didactic episode in Bhishma’s discourse.