Shloka 38
Go-dāna-phala-nirdeśa
Merit and Destinations from the Gift of Cows
प्रत्यक्ष हि तथा होतद् ब्राह्म॒णेषु तपस्विषु । बिभेति हि यथा शक्रो ब्रह्मचारिप्रधर्षित:
pratyakṣaṃ hi tathā hotad brāhmaṇeṣu tapasviṣu | bibheti hi yathā śakro brahmacāripradharṣitaḥ ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Ito’y tunay na nakikitang hayag sa mga brāhmaṇa na mapagtapa: gaya ng kahit si Śakra (Indra) ay nanginginig sa takot kapag sinalakay ng isang matatag na brahmacārin. Ganyan ang lantad na bunga ng brahmacarya sa hanay ng mga rishi. Ngayon, pakinggan mo rin mula sa akin ang dharma na nagmumula sa paggalang at pagsamba sa ina, ama, at iba pang nakatatanda.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Brahmacarya and tapas generate palpable spiritual power and moral authority—so potent that even Indra is said to fear a brahmacārin’s righteous force; Bhīṣma then pivots to another foundational dharma: reverence and service to parents and elders.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma (Anuśāsana Parva), he cites an illustrative claim about ascetic brāhmaṇas: the fruit of brahmacarya is visibly evident, exemplified by Indra’s fear when confronted by a brahmacārin; he then transitions to teaching about the merit of worshiping/serving mother, father, and elders.