Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 25

आचारप्रशंसा

Praise of Ācāra as the Basis of Longevity, Fame, and Prosperity

Devanagari script

पन्था देयो ब्राह्म॒णाय गोभ्यो राजभ्य एव च

Transliteration

panthā deyo brāhmaṇāya gobhyo rājabhya eva ca

Translation

Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Dapat bigyan ng maluwag na daan—ang isang brāhmaṇa, ang mga baka, at gayundin ang mga hari.”

Word by Word

• पन्थाः: path, way (right of way)
• पन्थाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देयः: to be given, should be granted
• देयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणाय: to/for a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• गोभ्यः: to/for cows
• गोभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Plural

• राजभ्यः: to/for kings
• राजभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• एव: indeed, just, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• brāhmaṇa
• cows (go)
• kings/rulers (rāja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should yield the way (grant passage) to those traditionally honored and protected—brāhmaṇas, cows, and kings—reflecting dharma as expressed through courtesy, non-obstruction, and social responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma in the Anuśāsana Parva, he states a rule of conduct: when encountering brāhmaṇas, cows, or rulers, one should not block them but respectfully allow them to pass.