Shloka 38
अन्नदान-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Gift of Food) | Annadāna-Praśaṃsā
तात! मुझे ब्राह्मण जितने प्रिय हैं, उतने मेरे पिता, तुम, पितामह, यह शरीर और जीवन भी प्रिय नहीं हैं ।। त्वत्तश्न मे प्रियतर: पृथिव्यां नास्ति कश्नन | त्वत्तोडपि मे प्रियतरा ब्राह्मणा भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! इस पृथ्वीपर तुमसे अधिक प्रिय मेरे लिये दूसरा कोई नहीं है; परंतु ब्राह्मण तुमसे भी बढ़कर प्रिय हैं
tāta! brāhmaṇā yāvat me priyāḥ, tāvat me pitā tvam pitāmaha idaṁ śarīraṁ jīvitaṁ ca na priyam. tvattaḥ me priyataraḥ pṛthivyāṁ nāsti kaścana; tvatto 'pi me priyatarā brāhmaṇā bharatarṣabha.
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai anakku! Seperti mana aku mengasihi para Brāhmaṇa, demikianlah ayahku, engkau, datukku, tubuh ini dan nyawa ini pun tidak setanding kasihnya. Wahai yang terbaik daripada keturunan Bharata! Di bumi ini tiada seorang pun lebih kukasihi daripada engkau; namun para Brāhmaṇa lebih kukasihi daripada engkau juga.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma ranks his affections to underline a dharmic priority: reverence for Brāhmaṇas—seen as bearers of Vedic learning, ritual authority, and moral guidance—stands above even personal bonds and self-preservation. The verse asserts that protecting and honoring the custodians of dharma is a higher duty than ordinary attachments.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs a Kuru prince (addressed as bharatarṣabha) on righteous conduct. Here he expresses deep personal affection for the listener, yet emphasizes that his commitment to Brāhmaṇas and the dharmic order is even greater, framing his counsel within the ethics of duty and social-religious responsibility.