Shloka 186
अहिंसा-प्रधान धर्मविचारः
Ahiṃsā as the Superior Dharma: Practical and Scriptural Reasoning
तस्थौ पद्मानि षट् चैव पज्च द्वे चैव मानद । “मृत्यो! तुम मेरी आज्ञाका पालन करो।” दूसरोंको मान देनेवाले तात! उनके इस कथनका आदर न करके मृत्युने तुरंत ही दूसरे बीस पद्म वर्षोतक पुनः एक पैरपर खड़ी हो तपस्या आरम्भ कर दी
tasthau padmāni ṣaṭ caiva pañca dve caiva mānada | “mṛtyo! tvaṁ mama ājñāyāḥ pālanaṁ kuru” iti | anyān mānayitā tāta! teṣāṁ vacanam anādṛtya mṛtyur acireṇaiva punar api viṁśati-padma-varṣāṇi ekapādena sthitvā tapa ārabdhavān |
Bhīṣma nói: “Hỡi Tử Thần, hãy tuân theo mệnh lệnh của ta.” Nhưng Tử Thần không kính trọng lời ấy. Trái lại, phớt lờ chỉ dụ, Tử Thần lập tức trở lại khổ hạnh—lại đứng trên một chân—suốt thêm hai mươi padma năm nữa.
पितामह उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical weight of tapas and personal vows: steadfast adherence to one’s chosen discipline is portrayed as a powerful moral force, sometimes even overriding external commands. It frames self-restraint and commitment as central to dharma.
Bhishma reports that Death is instructed—“Obey my command”—but Death does not comply. Instead, Death immediately resumes severe austerities, standing on one foot for another twenty padma-years, emphasizing relentless ascetic resolve.