Anushasana Parva Adhyaya 25 Shloka 40 - Mahabharata | Kannada | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 40

अहिंसयित्वा ब्रह्महत्याविधानम् / Brahmahatyā incurred without physical violence

Devanagari script

तारयेत कुलं सर्वमेको5पीह द्विजोत्तम: । किमज़ पुनरेवैते तस्मात्‌ पात्रं समाचरेत्‌

Transliteration

tārayet kulaṁ sarvam eko 'pīha dvijottamaḥ | kim aṅga punar evaite tasmāt pātraṁ samācaret || (tṛpte tṛptāḥ sarve devāḥ pitaro munayo 'pi ca) ||

Translation

ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನು ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಕುಲವನ್ನು ಉದ್ಧರಿಸಬಲ್ಲನು; ಹಾಗಾದರೆ ಅಂಥವರು ಅನೇಕರು ಇದ್ದರೆ ಇನ್ನೇನು ಹೇಳಬೇಕು! ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಸುಪಾತ್ರನನ್ನು ಜಾಗ್ರತೆಯಿಂದ ಹುಡುಕಿ ಗೌರವಿಸಬೇಕು. ಅವನು ತೃಪ್ತನಾದರೆ ಎಲ್ಲ ದೇವರುಗಳು, ಪಿತೃಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಮುನಿಗಳೂ ತೃಪ್ತರಾದಂತೆ.

Word by Word

तारयेत्should ferry across / should save

कुलम्family, lineage

सर्वम्entire, all

एकःone (single person)

अपिeven, also

इहhere (in this context/world)

द्विजोत्तमःbest of the twice-born (excellent Brahmin)

किम्what? (how much more...)

चand

पुनःagain; moreover

एवindeed, certainly

एतेthese (people)

तस्मात्therefore; from that (reason)

पात्रम्a worthy recipient (fit person)

समाचरेत्should practice/undertake (i.e., should seek/choose properly)

तृप्तेwhen (he/it) is satisfied

तृप्ताःsatisfied

सर्वेall

देवाःgods

पितरःancestors, manes

मुनयःsages

अपिalso, even

चand

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

dvijottama (excellent brāhmaṇa)

devāḥ (gods)

pitaraḥ (ancestors)

munayaḥ (sages)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that in śrāddha and gifting, the ethical focus should be on choosing a truly worthy recipient (pātra). The merit of the rite is amplified by the recipient’s worthiness: satisfying such a brāhmaṇa is treated as satisfying the gods, ancestors, and sages, thereby benefiting the whole lineage.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma, including the conduct and efficacy of śrāddha. Here he emphasizes that even one exemplary brāhmaṇa can ‘save’ a family line through proper reception of offerings, so one must diligently seek a fit person for the rite.