Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 50
मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169
निर्धनो5स्मि द्विजश्रेष्ठ नापि वेदविदप्यहम् । वित्तार्थमिह सम्प्राप्तं विद्धि मां द्विजसत्तम
nirdhano ’smi dvijaśreṣṭha nāpi vedavid apy aham | vittārtham iha samprāptaṁ viddhi māṁ dvijasattama ||
“ஓ த்விஜர்களில் சிறந்தவரே, நான் வறியவன்; வேதங்களை அறிந்தவனும் அல்ல. ஆகவே, ஓ த்விஜசத்தமரே, செல்வம் ஈட்டுவதற்காகவே நான் இங்கு வந்தேன் என்று அறியுங்கள்.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical candor: one should speak truthfully about one’s status and motives. It also highlights a dharmic tension—material need can drive action, yet integrity requires admitting one’s limitations (poverty, lack of Vedic learning) rather than claiming unearned authority.
Bhīṣma addresses a brāhmaṇa respectfully and states plainly that he is poor and not a Veda-knower, and that he has come with the practical aim of obtaining wealth. The line functions as a self-disclosure that frames the ensuing discussion about conduct and livelihood.