Shloka 22
चिरकारि-उपाख्यानम् / The Exemplum of Cirakārī: Deliberation Before Irreversible Action
जीवितु यः स्वयं चेच्छेत् कथं सो<न्यं प्रघातयेत् यद् यदात्मनि चेच्छेत तत् परस्यापि चिन्तयेत्
jīvitu yaḥ svayaṁ cecchet kathaṁ so 'nyaṁ praghātayet | yad yad ātmani ceccheta tat parasya api cintayet ||
毗湿摩说道：“既欲自存，怎能击杀他人？凡人所求于自身的安乐与福祉，也当念及他人，并设法使之同样可得。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches ethical reciprocity grounded in empathy: if one values one’s own life and well-being, one should not harm others and should extend to others the same consideration and access to comfort that one seeks for oneself.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma after the war, Bhishma delivers moral guidance, emphasizing non-violence and compassionate conduct by urging the listener to measure one’s actions toward others by the standard of one’s own desire to live and be well.