Shloka 8
Nakṣatra-yoga-anusāreṇa Dāna-vidhiḥ
Gifts prescribed according to lunar mansions and yogas
तपसा दीप्यमानास्ते दहेयु: पृथिवीमपि । अपूज्यमाना: कौरव्य पूजाहस्तु तथाविधा:
tapasā dīpyamānās te daheyuḥ pṛthivīm api | apūjyamānāḥ kauravya pūjyās tu tathāvidhāḥ kuru-nandana ||
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai Kauravya, kebanggaan kaum Kuru! Para brahmana itu, yang menyala dengan kuasa tapa, jika dibiarkan tanpa penghormatan, maka—jika mereka menghendaki—mereka mampu membakar bahkan seluruh bumi. Oleh itu, wahai Kauravya, brahmana sedemikian memang layak menerima pemujaan yang penuh hormat.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that spiritual power gained through tapas is formidable, and therefore society must uphold dharma by showing due reverence to such brāhmaṇas; neglecting honour is ethically dangerous and socially destabilizing.
Bhīṣma, instructing a Kuru prince in the Anuśāsana Parva’s dharma-discourse, emphasizes the immense potency of ascetics and uses it as a reason to prescribe consistent honour and worship toward worthy brāhmaṇas.