Shloka 26
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
एवं सुबहुशस्तस्य शूद्रस्थ भरतर्षभ । सोडगच्छदाश्रममृषि: शूद्रं द्रष्ट नरर्षभ
evaṁ subahuśas tasya śūdrāśramaṁ bharatarṣabha | so ’dṛcchad āśramam ṛṣiḥ śūdraṁ draṣṭuṁ nararṣabha ||
Bhīṣma sprach: „O Stier unter den Bharatas, jener Weise ging viele Male zur Einsiedelei des Śūdra, um ihn zu sehen. Danach erkundigte er sich, in freundlichen und angenehmen Worten, nach den Umständen der Ankunft des Śūdra. Von da an kam dieser überaus strahlende, rechtschaffene ṛṣi, standhaft in strengen Gelübden, immer wieder zur Wohnstatt des Śūdra, um ihn zu treffen.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharmic conduct expressed through humility, repeated respectful engagement, and courteous inquiry. A sage’s willingness to visit a Śūdra’s hermitage and speak agreeably underscores that righteousness is shown in behavior—hospitality, openness, and ethical regard—rather than mere status.
Bhishma narrates that an unnamed sage repeatedly goes to the Śūdra’s hermitage to meet him. Afterward, the sage speaks kindly and asks about how and why the Śūdra came there, and from then on continues visiting him many times.