Shloka 6
श्रीशक्रसंवादः — The Dialogue of Śrī
Lakṣmī) and Śakra (Indra
मुनिश्च स्थात् सदा विप्रो दैवतं च सदा भवेत् । कुट॒म्बिको धर्मकाम: सदास्वप्रश्न भारत
muniś ca sthāt sadā vipro daivataṃ ca sadā bhavet | kuṭambiko dharmakāmaḥ sadāsvapraśna bhārata bharatanandana ||
Bhishma said: “A brahmin should ever remain a sage in conduct, and he should always be regarded as divine. Even while living as a householder, he must constantly desire and pursue dharma, and he should not allow sleep and indolence to draw near.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even within household life, a brahmin should live with the inner discipline of a sage—steadfast in dharma, worthy of reverence, and vigilant against sleep and laziness that weaken righteous effort.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Bhishma addresses Yudhiṣṭhira (as ‘Bharata’ and ‘Bharatanandana’) and describes the ethical ideal of a brahmin/householder: continual commitment to dharma and active self-control.