Shloka 16
Nārāyaṇa-tejas: Kṛṣṇa’s Vrata, the Fire-Manifestation, and the Sages’ Inquiry (अनुशासन पर्व, अध्याय १२६)
कौमारचारी व्रतवान् मैत्रेय निरतो भव । एतदू गृहाण प्रथम प्रशस्तं गृहमेधिनाम्
kaumāra-cārī vratavān maitreya nirato bhava | etad ū gṛhāṇa prathamaṃ praśastaṃ gṛhamedhinām ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô Maitreya, vis en étudiant chaste et demeure inébranlable dans tes vœux. Reçois ceci comme le principe le plus éminent et le plus louable pour les maîtres de maison.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma upholds brahmacarya (sexual restraint and disciplined conduct) and steadfast observance of vows as the foremost, most praiseworthy foundation even for the gṛhastha (householder) path—implying that household life should be governed by self-control and ethical discipline.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma addresses the sage Maitreya directly, exhorting him to remain devoted to celibate discipline and to accept this principle as a primary guideline for those who live the householder life.