Shloka 14
पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient
ये चैनमनुवर्तन्ते ते न यान्ति पराभवम् | नते प्रेत्य विनश्यन्ति गच्छन्ति न पराभवम्
ye cainam anuvartante te na yānti parābhavam | na te pretya vinaśyanti gacchanti na parābhavam ||
قال بيشما: إن الذين يتّبعون البراهمة ويخدمونهم لا يقعون في الهزيمة. وحتى بعد الموت لا يفنون ولا ينحدرون؛ ولا ينالون عارًا، بل يمضون بلا سقوط—محفوظين بفضلٍ وُلد من توقير الدَّرما (dharma) وحُماتها.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Reverent adherence to Brahmins—seen as guardians and transmitters of dharma—protects one from worldly defeat and from post-mortem decline; honouring dharma’s custodians is presented as a source of lasting welfare.
In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he emphasizes the auspicious results of following Brahmins: freedom from disgrace in life and stability of one’s spiritual destiny after death.