Shloka 17
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
यज्वा च दान्तो मेधावी ब्रह्माण्य: सत्यसड्र: | न चावमन्ता दाता च वेदवेदाड़्रपारग:
yajvā ca dānto medhāvī brahmaṇyaḥ satyasaṅgaraḥ | na cāvamantā dātā ca vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Il accomplissait les sacrifices, se maîtrisait et était plein d’intelligence ; dévoué aux brahmanes et inébranlable dans la vérité. Il n’insultait personne, donnait avec largesse, et possédait une connaissance accomplie des Veda ainsi que de leurs sciences auxiliaires.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ethical ideal: true excellence combines ritual responsibility (yajña), inner discipline (dama), intelligence (medhā), reverence for sacred learning and Brahmins (brahmaṇya), unwavering truthfulness (satya), humility (non-contempt), generosity (dāna), and mastery of scriptural knowledge (Veda and Vedāṅgas).
Bhishma is describing a person’s commendable qualities in the context of instruction on dharma, listing virtues that mark a worthy and cultured leader or noble individual—especially generosity, restraint, and Vedic competence.