Shloka 38
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
भीष्म उवाच अपारे यो भवेत् पारमप्लवे यः प्लवो भवेत् | शूद्रो वा यदि वाप्यन्य: सर्वथा मानमर्हति
bhīṣma uvāca | apāre yo bhavet pāram aplave yaḥ plavo bhavet | śūdro vā yadi vāpy anyaḥ sarvathā mānam arhati |
Bhishma berkata: Sesiapa yang membolehkan orang menyeberang ketika tiada tebing seberang kelihatan, sesiapa yang menjadi perahu bagi yang sedang lemas ketika tiada perahu—sama ada dia seorang Śūdra atau sesiapa pun—maka orang itu, dalam segala hal, layak menerima penghormatan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Honor should be based on virtue and beneficent action—especially rescuing or supporting others in crisis—not on birth or social category. One who becomes a 'boat' for others in danger deserves respect regardless of varna.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he states a principle of ethical evaluation: a person who provides decisive help when no help is available—metaphorically enabling crossing a shoreless danger—must be honored, even if society labels him a Shudra or otherwise low-status.