Shloka 20
उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy
Opening
निबोध च शुभां वाणी यां प्रवक्ष्यामि तेडनघ । न ब्राह्मणे परिभव: कर्तव्यस्ते कदाचन
nibodha ca śubhāṁ vāṇīṁ yāṁ pravakṣyāmi te 'nagha | na brāhmaṇe paribhavaḥ kartavyas te kadācana ||
Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Dengarkanlah dengan saksama kata-kata yang membawa berkah ini yang akan kusampaikan kepadamu, wahai yang tak bercela. Jangan sekali-kali engkau menghina atau merendahkan seorang brāhmaṇa.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should never show contempt or cause humiliation to a brāhmaṇa; respectful conduct and restrained speech are presented as essential to dharma.
The sage Mārkaṇḍeya begins a direct instruction, asking the listener to attend to his auspicious counsel, and he opens with a clear ethical prohibition against disrespecting brāhmaṇas.