Shloka 38
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
भीष्म उवाच अपारे यो भवेत् पारमप्लवे यः प्लवो भवेत् | शूद्रो वा यदि वाप्यन्य: सर्वथा मानमर्हति,भीष्मजीने कहा--बेटा! जो अपार संकटसे पार लगा दे, नौकाके अभावमें डूबते हुएको जो नाव बनकर सहारा दे, वह शूद्र हो या कोई अन्य, सर्वथा सम्मानके योग्य है
bhīṣma uvāca | apāre yo bhavet pāram aplave yaḥ plavo bhavet | śūdro vā yadi vāpy anyaḥ sarvathā mānam arhati |
Bhishma dijo: Quien hace posible cruzar cuando no se divisa la otra orilla, quien se vuelve barca para el que se ahoga cuando no hay barca—sea un śūdra o cualquier otro—tal persona es, en todo sentido, digna de honor.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Honor should be based on virtue and beneficent action—especially rescuing or supporting others in crisis—not on birth or social category. One who becomes a 'boat' for others in danger deserves respect regardless of varna.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he states a principle of ethical evaluation: a person who provides decisive help when no help is available—metaphorically enabling crossing a shoreless danger—must be honored, even if society labels him a Shudra or otherwise low-status.