Shloka 78
आचारप्रशंसा
Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity
जिसे दीर्घ कालतक जीवित रहनेकी इच्छा हो, वह ब्राह्मण, क्षत्रिय और सर्प--इन तीनोंके दुर्बल होनेपर भी इनको न छेड़े; क्योंकि ये सभी बड़े जहरीले होते हैं ।।
bhīṣma uvāca |
yaḥ dīrgha-kālaṁ jīvitum icchet sa brāhmaṇa-kṣatriya-sarpa—etān trīn api durbalān na hiṁsyāt/na spṛśet | te hi sarve mahā-viṣāḥ | sarpaḥ kruddho yāvat cakṣuṣā paśyati tāvat dhāvati daśati ca | kṣatriyo ’pi kruddho yāvat tejasā spṛśati tāvat śatruṁ bhasmīkartum īhate | brāhmaṇas tu kruddho dṛṣṭyā saṅkalpena ca avamāninam puruṣaṁ tasya kulaṁ samantāt dagdhum arhati | tasmāt budhaḥ puruṣaḥ etān trīn yathāvat yatnena seveta ||
Bhīṣma sprach: Wer lange leben will, soll diese drei nicht reizen — selbst wenn sie schwach erscheinen: den Brāhmaṇa, den Kṣatriya und die Schlange; denn alle drei sind auf ihre Weise von heftigem „Gift“. Die erzürnte Schlange schlägt so weit zu, wie ihr Auge reicht; der zornige Kṣatriya sucht mit der ganzen Spannweite seiner Kriegsmacht den Feind zu Asche zu brennen. Doch wenn ein Brāhmaṇa erzürnt, vermag er durch die Kraft seines Blickes und seines Entschlusses die ganze Sippe dessen zu versengen, der ihn entehrt. Darum soll der Weise diese drei mit Sorgfalt ehren und ihnen gebührend begegnen.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not underestimate or provoke sources of concentrated power—spiritual (Brahmin), political-military (Kshatriya), or natural (serpent). Even when they appear weak, their retaliatory capacity can be devastating; therefore, prudent respect and careful conduct are advised.
In Bhishma’s instruction on conduct and prudence, he uses a graded comparison: a snake harms within its sight, a Kshatriya within the reach of his prowess, and a Brahmin—through ascetic-spiritual potency—can ruin an offender’s lineage by resolve. The point is to counsel restraint and respectful behavior toward these potent beings.