Shloka 2

उपवासविधि-प्रश्नः

Inquiry into the Discipline of Fasting

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच ज्येष्ठवत्‌ तात वर्तस्व ज्येष्ठोडसि सततं भवान्‌ । गुरोर्गरीयसी वृत्तिया च शिष्यस्यथ भारत

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | jyeṣṭhavat tāta vartasva jyeṣṭho 'si satataṁ bhavān | guror garīyasī vṛttir yā ca śiṣyasya tathā bhārata ||

Translation

Wika ni Bhishma: “Anak, kumilos ka ayon sa nararapat sa panganay, sapagkat ikaw ang nakatatanda sa iyong mga kapatid. Gaya ng guro na may marangal, mabigat ang dangal, at mapagkalingang tindig sa alagad, gayon din ang dapat mong asal sa iyong mga kapatid, O Bharata.”

Word by Word

• {'bhīṣma uvāca': 'Bhishma said', 'jyeṣṭhavat': 'like the eldest

• in a manner befitting the eldest', 'tāta': 'dear child

• affectionate address', 'vartasva': 'conduct yourself

• behave', 'jyeṣṭhaḥ asi': 'you are the eldest', 'satataṁ': 'always

• continually', 'bhavān': 'you (honorific)', 'guroḥ': 'of the guru/teacher', 'garīyasī': 'more weighty, dignified, venerable', 'vṛttiḥ': 'conduct

• disposition', 'yā': 'which', 'śiṣyasya': 'of the disciple', 'tathā': 'so

• in the same way', 'bhārata': 'O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Bharata (addressee, a Kuru descendant)
• Guru (teacher)
• Shishya (disciple)
• Brothers (of the addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The eldest should embody responsible, dignified leadership within the family—treating younger brothers with the same gravity, care, and guiding authority that a guru shows toward a disciple.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana), he addresses a Bharata prince and counsels him to act consistently as the eldest among brothers, modeling his behavior on the revered guru–disciple relationship.