Shloka 71
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
प्राणा हि मम दाराश्न यच्चान्यद् विद्यते वसु । अतिथिभ्यो मया देयमिति मे व्रतमाहितम्
prāṇā hi mama dārāś ca yac cānyad vidyate vasu | atithibhyo mayā deyam iti me vratam āhitam ||
“মোৰ প্ৰাণ, মোৰ পত্নী, আৰু মোৰ ওচৰত যি কিবা ধন-সম্পদ আছে—সকলো অতিথিসকলৰ বাবে দানযোগ্য; এইয়াই মোৰ দৃঢ় ব্ৰত।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches atithi-dharma: hospitality is a binding ethical duty. One should regard service to guests as so sacred that even one’s life and dearest possessions are to be placed at their disposal, as a consciously adopted vow (vrata).
Bhishma states his personal resolve: he has established a vow that whatever he has—life, spouse, and wealth—is meant to be given for guests. The statement functions as an authoritative model of righteous conduct within his instruction on dharma.