Shloka 6
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
अजोडन्निर्वरुणो मेष: सूर्यो5श्वः पृथिवी विराट । धेनुर्यज्ञश्न सोमश्न न विक्रेया: कथंचन
ajoḍan nirvaruṇo meṣaḥ sūryo 'śvaḥ pṛthivī virāṭ | dhenur yajñaśna somaśna na vikreyāḥ kathaṃcana ||
毗湿摩说道：“山羊不可阉割；献与伐楼那的公羊不可加害；太阳之马不可侵犯；大地——作为承载万有的毗罗阇——不可当作私产。又如产乳之牛，以及已为祭祀所祝圣之牛——无论标记为供品或为苏摩之用——在任何情况下都不可出售。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma lays down dharma-rules restricting human ownership and commerce over certain beings: animals consecrated to deities or sacrifice, and especially the milch-cow, are to be protected and must not be sold; sacred designation removes them from ordinary market exchange.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct, Bhīṣma enumerates specific prohibitions—what must not be mutilated, harmed, or sold—framing them as ethical boundaries that uphold ritual sanctity and social responsibility.