Shloka 25
Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)
(दूरतो मातृवत् पूज्या विप्रदारा: सुरक्षया ।) सरल
dūrato mātṛvat pūjyā vipradārāḥ surakṣayā | tejasas tapasaś caiva nityaṃ bibhyed yudhiṣṭhira | ubhe caite parityājye tejaś caiva tapas tathā ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira, istri-istri para Brāhmaṇa harus dihormati dari jarak yang pantas, sebagaimana menghormati seorang ibu, sambil memastikan perlindungan mereka. Seseorang hendaknya senantiasa menaruh takzim terhadap tejas dan daya tapa seorang Brāhmaṇa; dan di hadapan mereka, buanglah kesombongan atas kecemerlangan maupun laku tapa diri sendiri. Hormat, pengendalian diri, dan kerendahan hati di hadapan daya suci itulah dharma.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches that sacred authority grounded in learning and austerity must be approached with humility and restraint. One should honor Brāhmaṇas and especially safeguard and respectfully revere their wives, while abandoning any ego about one’s own power or ascetic achievements.
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on conduct (dharma). Here he emphasizes social and ethical discipline: reverence toward Brāhmaṇas, protective respect toward their wives, and an attitude of awe toward the spiritual potency (tejas, tapas) associated with ascetic life.