Shloka 23
स्त्रीस्वभावप्रश्नः — Nārada and Pañcacūḍā on Strī-svabhāva
Anuśāsana-parva 38
प्रतिग्रहेण तेजो हि विप्राणां शाम्पतेडनघ । प्रतिग्रहं ये नेच्छेयुस्ते भ्यो रक्ष्यं त्वया नृप
pratigraheṇa tejo hi viprāṇāṃ śāṃpate 'naghā | pratigrahaṃ ye neccheyus tebhyo rakṣyaṃ tvayā nṛpa || niṣpāpa nareśa ||
Bhīṣma dit : « Ô seigneur sans tache, l’éclat spirituel (tejas) des brāhmaṇas s’amoindrit en vérité lorsqu’ils acceptent des dons. C’est pourquoi, ô roi, tu dois honorer et protéger—afin de préserver ta lignée et ton royaume—ces brāhmaṇas qui ne souhaitent pas recevoir de présents, ô souverain sans péché. »
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that indiscriminate acceptance of gifts can erode a Brahmin’s spiritual-moral potency (tejas). Hence, a king should especially protect and honor those Brahmins who maintain independence by refusing gifts, as their integrity strengthens dharma and stabilizes the realm.
In Bhishma’s instruction to the king within the Anushasana Parva, he discusses norms of conduct around giving and receiving. Here he warns about the spiritual cost of ‘pratigraha’ for Brahmins and urges the king to safeguard those who decline gifts, treating them as pillars of the kingdom’s welfare.