Shloka 40
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
तमेव पूजयेयुस्ते प्रीत्या स्वमिव बान्धवम् । अभीरभीक्ष्णं कौरव्य कर्ता सन््मानमहति
tam eva pūjayeyus te prītyā svam iva bāndhavam | abhīrabhīkṣṇaṃ kauravya kartā san mānam arhati ||
Sie sollen eben diesen Mann in Liebe ehren, wie den eigenen Verwandten. O Spross der Kurus: Wer furchtlos immer wieder die Not anderer beseitigt, der ist der Handelnde, der wahrhaft königliche Wertschätzung verdient.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Public honor should be directed to the fearless protector who repeatedly alleviates others’ suffering; true worthiness for royal respect lies in providing dependable refuge and removing dangers for the helpless.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous governance: he defines the kind of person—one who safeguards people from recurring threats—whom society should treat like a beloved relative and honor with high esteem.