Shloka 26
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
एवं सुबहुशस्तस्य शूद्रस्थ भरतर्षभ । सोडगच्छदाश्रममृषि: शूद्रं द्रष्ट नरर्षभ
evaṁ subahuśas tasya śūdrāśramaṁ bharatarṣabha | so ’dṛcchad āśramam ṛṣiḥ śūdraṁ draṣṭuṁ nararṣabha ||
Demikianlah, wahai yang terbaik di antara keturunan Bharata, resi itu berkali-kali pergi ke pertapaan sang Śūdra, ingin menemuinya. Lalu, dengan kata-kata yang ramah, ia menanyakan riwayat kedatangan sang Śūdra ke tempat itu. Sejak saat itu, resi yang amat bercahaya, saleh, dan teguh dalam laku tapa itu berulang-ulang datang ke kediamannya.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharmic conduct expressed through humility, repeated respectful engagement, and courteous inquiry. A sage’s willingness to visit a Śūdra’s hermitage and speak agreeably underscores that righteousness is shown in behavior—hospitality, openness, and ethical regard—rather than mere status.
Bhishma narrates that an unnamed sage repeatedly goes to the Śūdra’s hermitage to meet him. Afterward, the sage speaks kindly and asks about how and why the Śūdra came there, and from then on continues visiting him many times.