Shloka 87
Ahiṃsā as Threefold Restraint (Mind–Speech–Action) and the Ethics of Consumption
ज्येष्ठं पितृसमं चापि भ्रातरं यो5वमन्यते । सो5पि मृत्युमुपागम्य क्रौज्चयोनौ प्रजायते,बड़ा भाई पिताके समान आदरणीय है, जो उसका अपमान करता है, उसे मृत्युके बाद क्रौंच पक्षीकी योनिमें जन्म लेना पड़ता है
jyeṣṭhaṁ pitṛ-samaṁ cāpi bhrātaraṁ yo ’vamanyate | so ’pi mṛtyum upāgamya krauñca-yonau prajāyate ||
Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: Al hermano mayor se le debe venerar como al propio padre. Quien deshonra a tal hermano, tras encontrar la muerte, renace en la especie del krauñca (la grulla).
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the eldest brother deserves reverence comparable to a father; contempt toward him is a serious adharma that brings painful karmic consequence, expressed here as a lower rebirth (krauñca-yoni).
In Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction-focused discourse, Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a rule of conduct about household and kinship dharma, warning that disrespect toward one’s elder brother leads to adverse post-mortem destiny.