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Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 38

Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda

Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni

धनेन क्रयिको हन्ति खादकश्नोपभोगत: । घातको वधबन्धाभ्यामित्येष त्रिविधो वध:

dhanena krayiko hanti khādakaś copabhogataḥ | ghātako vadhabandhābhyām ity eṣa trividho vadhaḥ ||

毗湿摩阐明道:“以财购买者,以财而杀;食用享受者,以食而杀;亲手行凶者,以屠戮或捆缚送死而杀。此即三种杀业。”

धनेनby/with wealth
धनेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootधन
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
क्रयिकःthe buyer/purchaser
क्रयिकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्रयिक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हन्तिkills/slays
हन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
FormPresent, Third, Singular
खादकःthe eater/consumer
खादकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootखादक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अश्नोपभोगतःfrom eating and enjoyment (i.e., by consuming/using)
अश्नोपभोगतः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्नि-उपभोग
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
घातकःthe killer/slayer
घातकः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootघातक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वधबन्धाभ्याम्by killing and binding (imprisoning)
वधबन्धाभ्याम्:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootवध-बन्ध
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Dual
इतिthus
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
एषःthis
एषः:
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
त्रिविधःthreefold
त्रिविधः:
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रिविध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वधःkilling/slaughter
वधः:
TypeNoun
Rootवध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma

Educational Q&A

Violence carries moral responsibility in multiple forms: commissioning it with money, benefiting from it through consumption/enjoyment, and directly performing or facilitating it (including binding and handing over to death). Dharma evaluates not only the act but also the enabling and profiting from the act.

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he classifies 'killing' as threefold to clarify ethical accountability. He broadens the notion of culpability beyond the immediate killer to include those who purchase/commission and those who consume the results.