Shloka 18
राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता
Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement
वानप्रस्थेषु विप्रेषु त्रैविद्येषु च भारत । प्रयच्छतो<र्थात् विपुलान् वन्याश्रमपदं भवेत्
vānaprastheṣu vipreṣu traividyeṣu ca bhārata | prayacchato 'rthāt vipulān vanyāśramapadaṃ bhavet ||
Bhīṣma dit : Ô Bhārata, celui qui donne en abondance des richesses aux brāhmaṇas vivant la vie de vānaprastha (retraite en forêt) et à ceux qui sont savants dans les trois Veda, obtient le mérite et le rang spirituel associés au vānaprastha-āśrama. L’enseignement souligne que soutenir des ascètes forestiers disciplinés et l’étude védique est un acte de dharma qui porte le fruit de cette étape austère.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Generous giving to disciplined brāhmaṇas—especially vānaprasthas—and to scholars of the three Vedas yields the same religious merit as practicing the vānaprastha stage oneself; supporting ascetic discipline and Vedic knowledge is a direct form of dharma.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira about the fruits of various righteous acts, here specifying the merit gained by donating abundant wealth to forest-dwelling brāhmaṇas and Vedic experts.