Shloka 30
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
भरतर्षभ! तदनन्तर वह जंगली कुशा, अन्न आदि ओषधि, पवित्र आसन और कुशकी चटाई ले आया ।।
bharatarṣabha! tadanantaraṃ sa jaṅgalīṃ kuśām, anna-ādi oṣadhīḥ, pavitram āsanaṃ ca kuśakīṃ ca caṭikām ājahāra. atha dakṣiṇam āvṛtya bhūmau caramaśaiṣikīm kṛtām anyāyato dṛṣṭvā taṃ śūdram ṛṣir abravīt—
પછી તેણે દક્ષિણ તરફ વળી બ્રાહ્મણ માટે ‘ચરમ-શૈષિકી’ (વિશેષ પ્રકારનું પાથરણું/આસન) પાથર્યું. શાસ્ત્રવિરુદ્ધ આ અનુચિત આચાર જોઈ ઋષિએ તે શૂદ્રને કહ્યું—
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights that ethical and ritual actions (such as how one prepares a seat and the direction faced) are expected to align with śāstric norms; when conduct deviates from prescribed propriety, a learned authority (the ṛṣi) corrects it, emphasizing discipline and accountability in dharma-based practice.
After gathering ritual items—kuśa grass, provisions, herbs, and a purified seat—the person arranges a specific bedding/seat while facing south for a Brahmin. The sage observes this as improper according to śāstra and begins to admonish or instruct the Śūdra responsible for the arrangement.