Shloka 24
अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence
युधिछिर उवाच कि परं ब्रह्मचर्य च कि परं धर्मलक्षणम् | किं च श्रेष्ठतमं शौचं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kiṁ paraṁ brahmacaryaṁ ca kiṁ paraṁ dharmalakṣaṇam | kiṁ ca śreṣṭhatamaṁ śaucaṁ tan me brūhi pitāmaha ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai Kakek, apakah bentuk brahmacarya (pengendalian diri) yang tertinggi? Apakah tanda paling utama yang membuat dharma dikenali? Dan apakah śauca (kemurnian) yang terbesar? Katakanlah kepadaku.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a classical ethical inquiry: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks clear standards for the highest self-restraint (brahmacarya), the defining sign of dharma, and the greatest purity (śauca). It sets up Bhīṣma’s instruction by prioritizing inner discipline and moral criteria over mere external observance.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully addresses Bhīṣma as “Pitāmaha” and asks him to define the सर्वोच्च (param) forms of brahmacarya, dharma’s hallmark, and śauca, initiating a didactic exchange on conduct and values.