Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
अनेन विधिना सेयं मामर्च्छति शुभानना । अनुरूप यदत्रान्यत् तद् भवान् कर्तुमहति
anena vidhinā seyaṁ mām arcchati śubhānanā | anurūpa yad atrānyat tad bhavān kartum arhati ||
Bhishma dit : «Selon ce rite prescrit, cette dame au beau visage est maintenant venue pour me servir. Quant au reste, tout ce qui te paraîtra convenable à faire ici selon la bienséance, tu es en mesure de l’accomplir.»
भीष्म उवाच
The verse emphasizes acting according to vidhi (proper procedure) and anurūpa (situational propriety): once a duty-bound approach has been followed, the next steps should be decided by what is ethically fitting, not by impulse.
Bhishma indicates that a woman described as śubhānanā has approached him in service following an accepted procedure, and he authorizes the addressed person (bhavān) to decide and carry out whatever further action is appropriate in the circumstances.