Shloka 9
अहिंसा-आत्मौपम्य-उपदेशः | Instruction on Ahiṃsā and Self-Comparison Ethics
भरण्यां तु शिरो विद्यात् केशाना्द्रां नराधिप । समाप्ते तु घृतं दद्याद् ब्राह्मणे वेदपारगे
bharaṇyāṃ tu śiro vidyāt keśānārdraṃ narādhipa | samāpte tu ghṛtaṃ dadyād brāhmaṇe vedapārage ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ହେ ନରାଧିପ! ଭରଣୀକୁ ଶିର ଏବଂ ଆର୍ଦ୍ରାକୁ (ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରମାର) କେଶ ବୋଲି ଜାଣ। ଏଭଳି ନକ୍ଷତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କୁ ଅଙ୍ଗ-ପ୍ରତ୍ୟଙ୍ଗରେ ସ୍ଥାପନ କରି, ସେମାନଙ୍କର ନିଜ-ନିଜ ମନ୍ତ୍ରଦ୍ୱାରା ପୂଜା କରି, ପ୍ରତିଦିନ ଜପ ଓ ହୋମ ଆଦି କର। ପୌର୍ଣ୍ଣମାସୀରେ ବ୍ରତ ସମାପ୍ତ ହେଲେ ବେଦପାରଗ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କୁ ଘୃତ ଦାନ କର।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a dharmic pattern of observance: symbolic contemplation (mapping nakṣatras onto the body/cosmic form), disciplined daily worship with mantra-japa and homa, and concluding the vow with dāna—specifically, gifting ghee to a Veda-versed Brāhmaṇa—so that inner devotion is completed by outward generosity and support of sacred learning.
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs the king on religious observances. Here he describes a specific ritual-visualization involving nakṣatras (Bharaṇī as the head, Ārdrā as the hair), followed by daily rites, and then prescribes a concluding full-moon donation of ghee to a learned Brāhmaṇa.