Shloka 17
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
यज्वा च दान्तो मेधावी ब्रह्माण्य: सत्यसड्र: | न चावमन्ता दाता च वेदवेदाड़्रपारग:,राजा दुर्योधन वेद-वेदाड़ोंका पारजड्गत विद्वान, यज्ञकर्ता, जितेन्द्रिय, मेधावी, ब्राह्मणभक्त और सत्यप्रतिज्ञ था। वह सबको दान देता और किसीका भी अपमान नहीं करता था
yajvā ca dānto medhāvī brahmaṇyaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ | na cāvamantā dātā ca vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ ||
Bhishma said: “He was a performer of sacrifices, self-restrained, and intelligent; devoted to Brahmins and steadfast in truth. He did not insult anyone, was generous in giving, and was thoroughly learned in the Vedas and their auxiliary disciplines.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ethical ideal: true excellence combines ritual responsibility (yajña), inner discipline (dama), intelligence (medhā), reverence for sacred learning and Brahmins (brahmaṇya), unwavering truthfulness (satya), humility (non-contempt), generosity (dāna), and mastery of scriptural knowledge (Veda and Vedāṅgas).
Bhishma is describing a person’s commendable qualities in the context of instruction on dharma, listing virtues that mark a worthy and cultured leader or noble individual—especially generosity, restraint, and Vedic competence.