Shloka 1

पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठक $ “लोक मिलाकर २७३ श्लोक हैं) नफमशा+ (0) आज अन+- चतुस्त्रिंशो 5 ध्याय: श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंकी प्रशंसा भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणानेव सततं भृशं सम्परिपूजयेत्‌ । एते हि सोमराजान ईश्वरा: सुखदुःखयो:

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | brāhmaṇān eva satataṁ bhṛśaṁ samparipūjayet | ete hi somarājān īśvarāḥ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ ||

Translation

Bhishma dijo: «Oh Yudhishthira, debe uno honrar siempre y con fervor a los brahmanes. Pues ellos son, por así decirlo, potestades soberanas sobre la dicha y el dolor; y Soma (la Luna) es tenido por su rey».

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सततम्: always/constantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत

• भृशम्: greatly/exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृश

• सम्परिपूजयेत्: should worship/honor fully
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-परि-पूज्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एते: these (people)
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: for/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सोमराजानः: having Soma (Moon) as king / Soma-kings
• सोमराजानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमराजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ईश्वराः: lords/masters; capable
• ईश्वराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुखदुःखयोः: of pleasure and pain
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख-दुःख
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Dual

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (Bhīṣma)
• Brahmanas (Brāhmaṇāḥ)
• Soma / Moon (Soma, Candra)
• Yudhishthira (implied addressee in context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhishma teaches that sustained, sincere reverence toward Brahmanas—seen as bearers of sacred knowledge and ritual authority—is a key element of dharma, because their blessings and displeasure are portrayed as having real consequences for one’s experience of happiness and suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhishthira on righteous conduct. Here he begins by urging him to honor Brahmanas, framing them as powerful moral-spiritual agents, with Soma (the Moon) described as their king.