Shloka 20
पापात्म-धर्मात्म-लक्षणम् तथा निर्वेदेन मोक्षमार्गः | Marks of the Sinful and the Righteous; Dispassion (Nirveda) as a Path to Liberation
भोग्ये भोज्ये प्रवचने सर्वलोकनिदर्शने । भर्त्रां चैव समायोगे सीमन्तोन्नयने तथा,'पुत्रके भोग्य (वस्त्र आदि), भोज्य (अन्न आदि), प्रवचन (वेदाध्ययन), सम्पूर्ण लोक- व्यवहारकी शिक्षा तथा गर्भाधान, पुंसतवन और सीमन्तोन्रयन आदि समस्त संस्कारोंके सम्पादनमें पिता ही प्रभु है
bhogye bhojye pravacane sarvalokanidarśane | bhartrāṃ caiva samāyoge sīmantonnayane tathā ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dalam hal-hal yang patut dinikmati dan digunakan, yang patut dimakan, dalam pengajaran serta studi Weda, dalam mempelajari tata laku seluruh dunia, dan juga dalam persatuan suami-istri untuk pembuahan serta pelaksanaan upacara seperti sīmantonnayana, ayahlah pemegang wewenang yang sah.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts the father’s primary guardianship and decision-making role in a child’s upbringing and key life-rites—covering material provisions, education (including Vedic learning), social training, and the performance of prenatal/household saṃskāras—framing this as part of ordered dharma within the family.
In the Śānti Parva’s dharma instruction, Bhishma is laying out norms of household and social duty. Here he enumerates domains—enjoyments, food, teaching, worldly conduct, conjugal rites, and prenatal ceremonies—where paternal authority is recognized as decisive.