Shloka 11
Śakra–Śambara Saṃvāda: Brāhmaṇa-sevā, Anasūyā, and Vāg-bala (शक्रशम्बरसंवादः)
प्रसह्मकारिण: केचित् कार्पासमृदवो परे । (मान्यास्तेषां साधवो ये न निन्द्याश्षाप्पसाधव: ।) सन्ति चैषामतिशठास्तथैवान्ये तपस्विन:
prasahmakāriṇaḥ kecit kārpāsamṛdavo pare | mānyās teṣāṃ sādhavo ye na nindyāś cāpy asādhavaḥ | santi caiṣām atiśaṭhās tathaivānye tapasvinaḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Parmi eux, certains agissent avec violence et rudesse, tandis que d’autres sont doux comme le coton. Ceux qui sont véritablement bons parmi eux doivent être honorés ; pourtant, même ceux qui ne le sont pas ne doivent pas être voués à l’opprobre. Car, parmi ces brahmanes, il en est de fort trompeurs, et d’autres encore qui sont de grands ascètes.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches discernment with restraint: honor those who are genuinely virtuous, but avoid harsh condemnation even of the unvirtuous; within any revered social group there can be both deceitful people and true ascetics.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma continues instructing Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he describes the mixed nature of Brahmins—some harsh, some gentle, some deceitful, some austere—and advises how one should respond ethically, especially regarding respect and speech.