Shloka 52
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
उन षोडश प्रकारके अग्निहोत्रोंकोी जो जानता है, वही यज्ञ-सम्बन्धी निश्चयात्मक ज्ञानसे सम्पन्न है। ऐसा ज्ञानी एवं श्रद्धालु द्विज ही यज्ञ करनेका अधिकारी है ।। स्तेनो वा यदि वा पापो यदि वा पापकृत्तम: | यट्टुमिच्छति यज्ञं यः साधुमेव वदन्ति तम्,यदि कोई चोर हो, पापी हो अथवा पापाचारियोंमें भी सबसे महान् हो तो भी जो यज्ञ करना चाहता है, उसे सभी लोग 'साधु” ही कहते हैं
ṣoḍaśa-prakārakān agnihotrān yo jānāti sa eva yajña-sambandhi niścayātmaka-jñānena sampannaḥ; sa jñānī śraddadhāno dvija eva yajña-karaṇe ’dhikārī. steno vā yadi vā pāpo yadi vā pāpakṛttamaḥ | yaṣṭum icchati yajñaṃ yaḥ sādhum eva vadanti tam ||
അവൻ കള്ളനായാലും, പാപിയായാലും, പാപകർമ്മികളിൽ ഏറ്റവും ദുഷ്ടനായാലും—യജ്ഞം ചെയ്യാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവനെ ജനങ്ങൾ ‘സാധു’ എന്നുതന്നെ വിളിക്കുന്നു.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual action (yajña) is not merely a mechanical performance: it requires settled knowledge of the rite and faith, hence the emphasis on the qualified, learned dvija. At the same time, the verse highlights the ethical power of turning toward dharma—one who earnestly wishes to perform yajña is socially and morally regarded as moving toward goodness, even if his past conduct was gravely sinful.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is teaching principles of sacrificial duty and eligibility. He explains who is fit to perform yajñas (those with knowledge and śraddhā) and then underscores a reformative idea: the intention to undertake sacred duty is itself treated as a sign of virtue, even in a person with a tainted past.