Shloka 19
Phala of Vrata, Niyama, Svādhyāya, Dama, Satya, Brahmacarya, and Service (व्रत-नियम-स्वाध्याय-दम-सत्य-ब्रह्मचर्य-शुश्रूषा-फलप्रश्नः)
दृष्टस्ते5हं प्रतिगच्छस्व तात शोचत्यसौ तव देहस्य कर्ता । ददानि कि चापि मन:प्रणीत॑ प्रियातिथेस्तव कामान् वृणीष्व
dṛṣṭas te 'haṃ pratigacchasva tāta śocaty asau tava dehasya kartā | dadāni kiṃ cāpi manaḥ-praṇītaṃ priyātithes tava kāmān vṛṇīṣva ||
ভীষ্মে ক’লে— “তাত, তুমি মোক দেখি ল’লা; এতিয়া উভতি যোৱা। তোমাৰ দেহৰ নিৰ্মাতা তোমাৰ পিতা শোকে নিমগ্ন। বৎস, তুমি মোৰ প্ৰিয় অতিথি; মনত উদ্ভৱ হোৱা কামনাসকল বাছি লোৱা—যি বিচাৰিবা, মই দিম।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights atithi-dharma (the duty of honoring a guest) through generosity and respectful speech, while also affirming filial responsibility: the guest should return because his father is grieving.
Bhishma addresses a young visitor who has come to see him. Having received the visit, Bhishma urges him to go back to his sorrowing father, and—treating him as a cherished guest—offers to fulfill any wish the visitor may request.