Shloka 20
Daṇḍa as the Foundation of Social Order (दण्डप्रतिष्ठा)
परंतु ब्रह्मा, धाता और पूषाकी कोई किसी तरह भी पूजा-अर्चा नहीं करते हैं; क्योंकि वे सम्पूर्ण प्राणियोंके प्रति समभाव रखनेके कारण मध्यस्थ, जितेन्द्रिय एवं शान्तिपरायण हैं। जो शान्त स्वभावके मनुष्य हैं, वे ही समस्त कर्मोमें इन धाता आदिकी पूजा करते हैं ।।
na hi paśyāmi jīvantaṃ loke kaścid ahiṃsayā | sattvaiḥ sattvā hi jīvanti durbalair balavattarāḥ ||
Arjuna nói: “Ta không thấy ai trên đời này thật sự nuôi sống mình bằng bất bạo động tuyệt đối. Vì sinh linh sống nhờ sinh linh; kẻ mạnh tồn tại bằng cách ăn kẻ yếu.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse argues that absolute non-violence is practically unattainable in worldly life because survival commonly depends on other living beings; therefore ethical life must grapple with unavoidable harm and seek the least harmful, most dharmic course.
Arjuna voices a reflective objection about the feasibility of living entirely by ahiṃsā, pointing to the natural order where stronger beings live at the expense of weaker ones, thereby pressing the discussion toward nuanced dharma rather than simplistic absolutes.