Shloka 2
अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence
भीष्म उवाच स्ववृत्तिमभिपन्नाय लिज़्िने चेतराय च । देयमाहुर्महाराज उभावेतौ तपस्विनौ
bhīṣma uvāca | svavṛttim abhipannāya liṅgine cetarāya ca | deyam āhur mahārāja ubhāv etau tapasvinau ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai Maharaja, dinyatakan bahwa sedekah patut diberikan kepada seorang Brāhmaṇa yang menempuh mata pencaharian yang sah menurut varṇa-āśrama demi mempertahankan hidup—baik ia mengenakan tanda lahiriah seorang pertapa maupun tidak. Sebab keduanya, berpegang pada dharma mereka, dipandang bertapa dan layak menerima derma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Charity should be guided by dharma rather than mere outward appearance: a Brahmin who sustains himself through a rightful, dharmic livelihood for preserving life is a fit recipient of alms whether he displays ascetic insignia (liṅga) or not.
In the Anushasana Parva’s instruction on dāna-dharma, Bhishma advises the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) about who deserves gifts, affirming that both marked ascetics and those without external marks—if grounded in proper duty—are worthy recipients.