Shloka 15
पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient
यद् ब्राह्मणमुखात् प्राप्तं प्रतिगृह्लन्ति वै वच: । भूतात्मानो महात्मानस्ते न यान्ति पराभवम्
yad brāhmaṇamukhāt prāptaṁ pratigṛhlanti vai vacaḥ | bhūtātmāno mahātmānas te na yānti parābhavam ||
Bhishma berkata: Orang-orang yang berjiwa besar, yang batinnya selaras dengan segala makhluk, menerima sebagai kata yang berwibawa nasihat yang keluar dari mulut seorang brāhmaṇa. Orang demikian tidak jatuh ke dalam kekalahan atau kebinasaan—kerana mereka memilih bimbingan yang berlandaskan dharma, bukan dorongan nafsu atau kesombongan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should respectfully accept dharma-informed guidance from the truly learned and principled (symbolized by the brāhmaṇa’s speech). Such receptivity, joined with compassion and nobility of character, protects a person from moral and practical downfall.
Bhishma is instructing on right conduct (anuśāsana), praising the disposition of great persons who heed righteous counsel. The verse functions as a normative statement: listening to wise, dharmic instruction leads away from failure and ruin.