Shloka 17
Pātra-Lakṣaṇa and Niścita-Dharma
Marks of a Worthy Recipient and Stable Criteria of Dharma
“महर्षश!ी आपकी आज्ञा पाकर मैं उत्तर दिशामें गन्ध-मादनपर्वतकी ओर चल दिया। उससे भी उत्तर जानेपर मुझे एक महती देवीका दर्शन हुआ। उसने मेरी परीक्षा ली और आपका भी परिचय दिया। प्रभो! फिर उसने अपनी बात सुनायी और उसकी आज्ञा लेकर मैं अपने घर आ गया” ।।
mahārṣaśrī! ājñāṃ prāpya ahaṃ uttaradiśi gandhamādana-parvataṃ prati calitaḥ. tataḥ api uttaraṃ gatvā mayā ekā mahatī devī dṛṣṭā. sā mama parīkṣāṃ cakāra, bhavataḥ api paricayaṃ prāha. prabho! paścāt sā svavākyaṃ śrāvayitvā, tasyāḥ ājñāṃ gṛhītvā ahaṃ svagṛhaṃ punar āgataḥ. tam uvāca tadā vipraḥ—sutāṃ pratigṛhāṇa me; nakṣatra-vidhi-yogena pāṇigrahaṇaṃ kuru; pātraṃ hi paramaṃ bhavān.
“Kagalang-galang na rishi! Nang matanggap ko ang iyong utos, tumungo ako sa hilaga patungong Bundok Gandhamādana. Pagkaraan pang maglakbay nang mas malayo sa hilaga, nasilayan ko ang isang dakilang diyosa. Sinubok niya ako at inihayag din ang iyong pagkakakilanlan. Pagkatapos, O panginoon, sinabi niya ang kanyang mensahe; at nang makuha ko ang kanyang pahintulot, nagbalik ako sa aking tahanan.” Noon ay sinabi ng Brahmana: “Tanggapin mo ang aking anak na babae bilang asawa, isagawa ang ritwal ayon sa wastong pagtalima sa mga tanda ng bituin sa isang mapalad na konstelasyon; sapagkat ikaw ang pinakakarapat-dapat na tatanggap.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes dharma through disciplined obedience to a teacher’s command, the ethical testing of a person’s fitness, and the importance of performing life-rites—especially marriage—according to prescribed ritual and auspicious timing (nakṣatra-vidhi), with worthiness (pātratā) as a key moral criterion.
Bhishma reports to a sage that he traveled north to Mount Gandhamādana, met a powerful goddess who tested him and identified the sage, then returned home with her permission. After this report, a Brahmin addresses him and proposes that he accept the Brahmin’s daughter in marriage, to be performed properly under an auspicious constellation, declaring Bhishma an exceptionally worthy match.