Shloka 14

उपवासविधि-प्रश्नः

Inquiry into the Discipline of Fasting

Devanagari script

दशाचार्यानुपाध्याय उपाध्यायान्‌ पिता दश

Transliteration

daśācāryān upādhyāyaḥ, upādhyāyān pitā daśa; gauraveṇa daśa pitṝn atikrāmati mātā; mātā hi svagauraveṇa pṛthivīm api tiraskaroti; tasmān mātṛsamo nānyo guruḥ.

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Ein Unterweiser (Upādhyāya) ist mehr wert als zehn Lehrer; ein Vater ist mehr wert als zehn Unterweiser; und eine Mutter überragt selbst zehn Väter an Würde. Durch ihre eigene Größe kann eine Mutter sogar die ganze Erde überstrahlen. Darum gibt es keinen Guru, der der Mutter gleichkäme.“

Word by Word

• दश: ten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: —, —, —

• आचार्यान्: teachers (ācāryas)
• आचार्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• उपाध्यायः: the preceptor (upādhyāya)
• उपाध्यायः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाध्याय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उपाध्यायान्: preceptors (upādhyāyas)
• उपाध्यायान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाध्याय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दश: ten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: —, —, —

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• ācārya
• upādhyāya
• pitā
• mātā
• pṛthivī

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse ranks sources of guidance and authority, culminating in the mother as the highest object of reverence; it teaches that gratitude, service, and respect toward one’s mother are central to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising on righteous conduct, emphasizing the ethical priority of honoring parents—especially the mother—above other revered teachers.