Shloka 8
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
व्रतिभिर्बहुभि: कीर्ण तापसैरुपसेवितम् । ब्राह्मणैश्व महाभागै: सूर्यज्वलनसंनिभै:
vratibhir bahubhiḥ kīrṇaṃ tāpasair upasevitam | brāhmaṇaiś ca mahābhāgaiḥ sūryajvalanasaṃnibhaiḥ ||
O eremitério estava apinhado de muitos ascetas devotados a votos, e era constantemente frequentado por tapasvins. Também se achava repleto de brâmanes nobres e ilustres, cujo brilho se assemelhava ao sol ardente e ao fogo—imagem de vida disciplinada e poder espiritual reunidos num só lugar.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds the ethical ideal that disciplined vows (vrata) and austerity (tapas) generate inner power (tejas) and social-spiritual authority, embodied by ascetics and exemplary Brahmins who sustain dharma through their conduct.
Bhishma describes a hermitage as densely populated and regularly visited by vow-keeping ascetics and eminent Brahmins, portraying the setting as a concentrated center of spiritual practice and luminous virtue.