Shloka 38
Brāhmaṇa-mahattva and Atithi-Dharma
Brahmagītā: Praise of Brāhmaṇas and norms of honor
योअप्यन्य: कारयेदेवं शरणागतरक्षणम् | सो<पि गच्छेत तामेव गतिं भरतसत्तम,भरतश्रेष्ठ! यदि दूसरा कोई भी पुरुष इसी प्रकार शरणागतकी रक्षा करेगा तो वह भी उसी गतिको प्राप्त करेगा
yo 'py anyaḥ kārayed evaṁ śaraṇāgata-rakṣaṇam | so 'pi gacchet tām eva gatiṁ bharata-sattama bharata-śreṣṭha ||
योऽप्यन्यः कारयेदेवं शरणागतरक्षणम्। सोऽपि गच्छेत तामेव गतिं भरतसत्तम॥
श्येन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Protecting a person who has sought refuge (śaraṇāgata-rakṣaṇa) is presented as a high dharma whose spiritual reward is not limited to a single hero; anyone who upholds it attains the same noble destiny.
Śyena addresses a Bharata prince/king with an ethical generalization: the merit gained by safeguarding a suppliant is universal—whoever performs such protection, regardless of identity, reaches the same ‘gati’ (exalted end).