Shloka 81
गुरुके साथ कभी हठ नहीं ठानना चाहिये। युधिष्ठिर! यदि गुरु अप्रसन्न हों तो उन्हें हर तरहसे मान देकर मनाकर प्रसन्न करनेकी चेष्टा करनी चाहिये ।। सम्यड्मिथ्याप्रवृत्तेडपि वर्तितव्यं गुराविह । गुरुनिन्दा दहत्यायुर्मनुष्याणां न संशय:,गुरु प्रतिकूल बर्ताव करते हों तो भी उनके प्रति अच्छा ही बर्ताव करना उचित है; क्योंकि गुरुनिन्दा मनुष्योंकी आयुको दग्ध कर देती है, इसमें संशय नहीं है
bhīṣma uvāca | guruke sātha kabhī haṭha nahīṃ ṭhānanā cāhiye | yudhiṣṭhira! yadi guru aprasanna hoṃ to unheṃ hara tarahase māna dekara manākara prasanna karanekī ceṣṭā karanī cāhiye || samyaṅ-mithyā-pravṛtte 'pi vartitavyaṃ gurāv iha | guru-nindā dahaty āyur manuṣyāṇāṃ na saṃśayaḥ ||
Bhishma said: One should never stubbornly oppose one’s teacher. O Yudhishthira, if the teacher becomes displeased, one should strive to honor, appease, and gladden him by every proper means. Even if the teacher’s conduct seems right or wrong, one should still behave appropriately toward him here; for reviling the teacher burns away a person’s lifespan—of this there is no doubt.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Maintain reverent, restrained conduct toward one’s guru and avoid stubborn opposition; even when the guru appears flawed, do not indulge in contempt or revilement, since disrespect toward the teacher is portrayed as spiritually and existentially destructive (it ‘burns’ one’s lifespan).
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he emphasizes proper behavior toward teachers: if a guru is displeased, the disciple should seek reconciliation through honor and respectful appeasement, warning against guru-nindā.