Shloka 52
Śrāddha-Kalpa: Pitṛ-Pūjā and Tithi-Phala (श्राद्धकल्पः पितृपूजा च तिथिफलम्)
'भृगुश्रेष्ठ! वे सोनेके बने हुए मुकुट, बाजूबंद तथा अन्य नाना प्रकारके अलंकारोंसे सुशोभित होते हैं ।। तस्मात् सर्वपवित्रेभ्य: पवित्र परमं स्मृतम् । भूमेगोभ्यो5थ रत्नेभ्यस्तद् विद्धि मनुजर्षभ,“अतः नरश्रेष्ठ! जगतमें भूमि, गौ तथा रत्न आदि जितनी पवित्र वस्तुएँ हैं, सुवर्णको उन सबसे पवित्र माना गया है; इस बातको भलीभाँति जान लो
bhṛguśreṣṭha! te soneke bane hue mukuṭa, bājūbanda tathā anya nānā prakārake alaṅkāroṃ se suśobhita hote haiṃ. tasmāt sarvapavitrebhyaḥ pavitraṃ paramaṃ smṛtam; bhūme gobhyo 'tha ratnebhyaḥ tad viddhi manujarṣabha.
Bhīṣma disse: “Ó melhor dos Bhṛgus! Eles se enfeitam com coroas, braçadeiras e muitos outros ornamentos feitos de ouro. Por isso, entre todas as coisas tidas por puras, o ouro é lembrado como o purificador supremo. Sabe-o bem, ó touro entre os homens: mesmo em comparação com a terra, as vacas e as gemas—objetos estimados como santos—o ouro é considerado o mais purificante.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a traditional hierarchy of purity: gold (suvarṇa) is regarded as the supreme purifier, even when compared with highly revered purifying entities like earth, cows, and precious gems. In the ethical context of Anuśāsana Parva, this supports teachings on dāna (charitable gifting) and ritual propriety—gold is praised as especially auspicious and purifying when used rightly.
Bhishma, instructing as an authoritative elder, addresses a revered interlocutor (styled “best of the Bhṛgus”) and a “best of men,” describing beings adorned with gold ornaments and then drawing a doctrinal conclusion: gold is remembered in tradition as the highest purifier among sacred/pure things.