Shloka 28
तीर्थवंशोपदेशः
Tīrtha-vaṃśa Upadeśa: Instruction on the Fruits of Sacred Waters
उदितास्तमितो यश्व तथैवास्तमितोदित: । अहिंस्नश्वाल्पदोषश्न स राजन् केतनक्षम:
uditāstamito yaśva tathaivāstamitoditaḥ | ahiṁsnaś cālpadoṣaś ca sa rājan ketanakṣamaḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai Raja, seorang brahmana yang kadang terangkat, kadang merosot, lalu terangkat kembali dalam kedudukan duniawi—namun tidak menyakiti makhluk hidup—tetap layak diundang dalam upacara śrāddha, meski ia memiliki kekurangan kecil.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Non-violence and fundamental moral character outweigh fluctuating social status and minor personal faults when judging a person’s ritual worthiness—especially for being invited to śrāddha.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction to King Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and proper conduct, he explains criteria for inviting a Brahmin to śrāddha, emphasizing ahiṁsā and basic integrity over external rise-and-fall in fortune.