Shloka 20
Jñāna-yoga and Karma-phala: Manu–Bṛhaspati on Akṣara and the Limits of Mantra
परिचित मनुष्यसे जब-जब भेंट हो, सदा उसका कुशल-समाचार पूछे। सायंकाल और प्रातः:काल दोनों समय ब्राह्मणोंको प्रणाम करे, यह शास्त्रकी आज्ञा है ।। देवागारे गवां मध्ये ब्राह्मणानां क्रियापथे । स्वाध्याये भोजने चैव दक्षिणं पाणिमुद्धरेत्,देवमन्दिरमें, गौओंके बीचमें, ब्राह्मण के यज्ञादि कर्मोंमें, शास्त्रोंके स्वाध्यायकालमें और भोजन करते समय दाहिने हाथसे काम ले
paricita-manuṣyena yathā-yathaiva saṅgamo bhavet, sadā tasya kuśala-samācāraṃ pṛcchet | sāyaṃkāle prātaḥkāle ca brāhmaṇān praṇamet—eṣā śāstrasya ājñā || devāgāre gavāṃ madhye brāhmaṇānāṃ kriyāpathe | svādhyāye bhojane caiva dakṣiṇaṃ pāṇim uddharet ||
परिचितं जनं दृष्ट्वा कुशलप्रश्नमाचरेत्। सायं प्रातश्च विप्राणां प्रणामः शास्त्रनिर्णयः॥ देवागारे गवां मध्ये ब्राह्मणानां क्रियापथे। स्वाध्याये भोजने चैव दक्षिणं पाणिमुद्धरेत्॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches everyday dharma (ācāra): maintain courteous social bonds by asking after others’ well-being, show regular reverence to Brāhmaṇas morning and evening, and observe purity/respect norms—especially using the right hand in sacred contexts (temple, among cows, during rituals, during scriptural study, and while eating).
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous living after the war. Here he gives practical rules of daily conduct—how to greet others, whom to honor regularly, and how to behave in ritually significant places and times.