Shloka 21
अध्वर्यु–यति संवादः
Adhvaryu–Yati Dialogue on Svabhāva, Ahiṃsā, and Mokṣa
एक ओर तो तुम किसी प्राणीके प्राण लेनेके कार्यसे निवृत्त हो और दूसरी ओर हिंसामें लगे हुए हो। द्विजवर! कोई भी चेष्टा हिंसाके बिना नहीं होती। फिर तुम कैसे समझते हो कि तुम्हारे द्वारा अहिंसाका ही पालन हो रहा है?
ekāṃ ora to tvaṃ kasyacid prāṇinaḥ prāṇaharaṇakāryāt nivṛttaḥ, aparāṃ ca ora hiṃsāyāṃ pravṛttaḥ asi. dvijavara! na kaścid api ceṣṭā hiṃsāṃ vinā bhavati. tarhi kathaṃ tvaṃ manyase yat tvayā ahimsaiva pālyate?
婆罗门说道：“一方面你自称不再夺取任何生灵之命；另一方面你却仍在暴害之中行事。噢，二次生者中之最胜者！没有任何行动能完全不带伤害。既如此，你怎会以为自己所行尽是非暴力？”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse challenges simplistic claims of absolute non-violence by arguing that ordinary action (ceṣṭā) inevitably causes some harm; therefore, ethical life requires honest discernment about intention, necessity, and consequences rather than self-congratulation.
A brāhmaṇa speaker confronts another ‘best of the twice-born’ who claims to have renounced killing, pointing out an inconsistency: despite professing restraint, he is still implicated in violence through action itself, and is asked to justify calling his conduct pure ahimsa.