Shloka 39
तीर्थवंशोपदेशः
Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters
जातकर्मादिका: सर्वास्त्रिषु वर्णेषु भारत । ब्र्मक्षत्रे हि मन्त्रोक्ता वैश्यस्य च युधिष्ठिर
jātakarmādikāḥ sarvāstrīṣu varṇeṣu bhārata | brahmakṣatre hi mantroktā vaiśyasya ca yudhiṣṭhira ||
ভীষ্মে ক’লে—হে ভাৰতবংশীয় যুধিষ্ঠিৰ! তিন দ্বিজবৰ্ণত জাতকৰ্ম আদি সকলো সংস্কাৰ বিধিবদ্ধ। ব্ৰাহ্মণ, ক্ষত্ৰিয় আৰু বৈশ্য—এই তিনিওৰ সংস্কাৰ বেদমন্ত্ৰোচ্চাৰণসহিতেই বিধিপূৰ্বক সম্পন্ন কৰিব লাগে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that the classical life-cycle sacraments (saṃskāras), starting with jātakarma, are prescribed for the three twice-born varṇas—Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vaishya—and that these rites should be performed with Vedic mantra-recitation, emphasizing ritual propriety as part of dharma.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhishthira about duties and norms. Here he specifies who is entitled/obligated to perform the saṃskāras and how—namely, with mantras—for the three varṇas he lists.