Shloka 16
मातापितृगुरुपूजा-प्रशंसा
Praise of Venerating Mother, Father, and Teacher
दशैव तु सदा5<चार्य: श्रोत्रियानतिरिच्यते
daśaiva tu sadā ācāryaḥ śrotriyān atiricyate
Bhīṣma said: “Indeed, an ācārya is always to be regarded as tenfold superior to a mere śrotriya (one learned in Vedic recitation).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the ācārya—who imparts not only knowledge but also right conduct and disciplined living—has greater dharmic standing than someone who is only a śrotriya, i.e., learned in Vedic hearing/recitation. It prioritizes transformative instruction and ethical formation over mere textual mastery.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and social-ethical order. Here he states a normative hierarchy of respect: the role of the ācārya is to be honored as surpassing the status of a Veda-reciter, underscoring the importance of guidance that shapes character.