Shloka 17
Śrāddha-dvija-parīkṣā: Paṅkti-dūṣa and Paṅkti-pāvana (श्राद्धे द्विजपरीक्षा—पङ्क्तिदूष-पङ्क्तिपावन)
युद्धभागी भवेन्मर्त्य: कुर्वन् श्राद्ध चतुर्दशीम् । अमावास्यां तु निर्वापात् सर्वकामानवाप्लुयात्
yuddhabhāgī bhaven martyaḥ kurvan śrāddhaṃ caturdaśīm | amāvāsyāṃ tu nirvāpāt sarvakāmān avāpnuyāt ||
Bhīṣma disse: “O mortal que realiza o śrāddha no décimo quarto dia lunar (caturdaśī) torna-se partícipe da guerra—arrastado para a porção do conflito. Mas, ao oferecer o śrāddha no dia de lua nova (amāvāsyā), alcança a realização de todos os seus objetivos.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the timing of śrāddha matters ethically and ritually: performing it on caturdaśī is portrayed as leading to war-related consequences, whereas performing it on amāvāsyā is praised as yielding the fulfillment of one’s aims.
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and proper observances. Here he gives a rule-of-thumb about which lunar days are suitable or unsuitable for śrāddha, contrasting caturdaśī with amāvāsyā.