Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 1
ऑपनआ का बा 2 एकपज्चाशर्दाधकशततमो< ध्याय: ब्राह्मणोंकी महिमाका वर्णन युधिषछ्िर उवाच के पूज्या: के नमस्कार्या: कथं वर्तेत केषु च । किमाचार: कीदृशेषु पितामह न रिष्यते
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca—ke pūjyāḥ? ke namaskāryāḥ? kathaṁ varteta keṣu ca? kim-ācāraḥ kīdṛśeṣu, pitāmaha, na riṣyate?
Yudhiṣṭhira dit : « Grand-père, qui, en ce monde, est véritablement digne de révérence ? À qui doit-on offrir ses salutations ? Comment faut-il se conduire, et envers quelles sortes de personnes ? Quelle conduite, en traitant avec quel type d’hommes, ne mène ni au tort ni à la faute morale ? »
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-inquiry: how to recognize those worthy of honor and how to choose appropriate conduct toward different kinds of people so that one avoids harm—socially, ethically, and spiritually.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma (as ‘Grandfather’) and asks for guidance on whom to revere and salute and how to behave toward various people—introducing Bhīṣma’s ensuing instruction on the greatness and proper honoring of the virtuous (notably brāhmaṇas in this chapter’s theme).