Anushasana Parva Adhyaya 157 Shloka 19 - Mahabharata | Sanskrit | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 19

Devanagari script

येषां वृद्धश्न बालश्न सर्व: सम्मानमरहति । तपोविद्याविशेषात्तु मानयन्ति परस्परम्‌

Transliteration

yeṣāṁ vṛddhaśna bālaśna sarvaḥ sammānam arhati | tapovidyāviśeṣāt tu mānayanti parasparam ||

Translation

येषां वृद्धश्च बालश्च सर्वः सम्मानमर्हति । तपोविद्याविशेषात्तु मानयन्ति परस्परम् ॥

Word by Word

येषाम्of whom

वृद्धश्नःone who eats after the elders (i.e., respects elders)

बालश्नःone who eats after the children (i.e., cares for children)

सर्वःeveryone

सम्मानम्honour, respect

अर्हतिdeserves

तपोविद्याविशेषात्because of distinction/superiority in austerity and learning

तुbut, indeed

मानयन्तिthey honour, they respect

परस्परम्mutually, one another

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Brāhmaṇa (Brahmins)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Everyone within the Brahmin community is intrinsically worthy of respect regardless of age; nevertheless, special esteem is accorded based on demonstrable excellence in tapas (discipline/austerity) and vidyā (learning), making virtue and knowledge the ethical criteria for higher honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he explains norms of social reverence: Brahmins should be honored universally, and among themselves they mutually recognize and honor greater spiritual discipline and learning.