Shloka 27
पापात्म-धर्मात्म-लक्षणम् तथा निर्वेदेन मोक्षमार्गः | Marks of the Sinful and the Righteous; Dispassion (Nirveda) as a Path to Liberation
न च शोचति नाप्येनं स्थाविर्यमपकर्षति । श्रिया हीनो5पि यो गेहमम्बेति प्रतिपद्यते
na ca śocati nāpy enaṃ sthāviryam apakarṣati | śriyā hīno 'pi yo geham ambe iti pratipadyate ||
Bhishma dit : «Tant que la mère est là, l’homme ne s’afflige pas, et la vieillesse ne l’entraîne pas vers l’abaissement. Même privé de prospérité, celui qui rentre chez lui en appelant “Mère !” atteint, pour ainsi dire, un refuge de nourriture inépuisable et de protection—comme s’il s’approchait d’Annapurna elle-même.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises the mother as a living refuge: calling upon one’s mother and returning home dispels anxiety and mitigates the harshness of aging; even without wealth, maternal shelter provides a sense of fullness, security, and emotional sustenance.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right living. Here he offers a reflective maxim: the presence and support of one’s mother makes life feel protected and abundant, countering grief and the decline associated with old age.