Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 14
पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient
ये चैनमनुवर्तन्ते ते न यान्ति पराभवम् | नते प्रेत्य विनश्यन्ति गच्छन्ति न पराभवम्
ye cainam anuvartante te na yānti parābhavam | na te pretya vinaśyanti gacchanti na parābhavam ||
ਭੀਸ਼ਮ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ—ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਦਾ ਅਨੁਸਰਣ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਉਹ ਪਰਾਜਯ ਨੂੰ ਨਹੀਂ ਪਾਉਂਦੇ। ਮੌਤ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਵੀ ਉਹ ਨਾਸ ਜਾਂ ਪਤਨ ਨੂੰ ਨਹੀਂ ਪਾਉਂਦੇ; ਉਹ ਅਪਮਾਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਹਿੰਦੇ, ਬਲਕਿ ਬਿਨਾ ਅਧੋਗਤੀ ਅੱਗੇ ਵਧਦੇ ਹਨ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Reverent adherence to Brahmins—seen as guardians and transmitters of dharma—protects one from worldly defeat and from post-mortem decline; honouring dharma’s custodians is presented as a source of lasting welfare.
In the Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he emphasizes the auspicious results of following Brahmins: freedom from disgrace in life and stability of one’s spiritual destiny after death.