Shloka 39
अनुशासनपर्व अध्याय ९३ — तपस्, सदोपवास, विघसाशन, अतिथिप्रियता
Austerity, regulated fasting, residual-eating, and hospitality
ऋतच्विग्भिर भ्यनुज्ञात: पंक््त्या हरति दुष्कृतम् जो ऋत्विक् या अध्यापक न हो, वह भी यदि ऋत्विजोंकी आज्ञा लेकर श्राद्धमें अग्रासन ग्रहण करता है तो पंक्तिके दोषको हर लेता है अर्थात् दूर कर देता है ।।
ṛtacvigbhir abhyanujñātaḥ paṅktyā harati duṣkṛtam | yo ṛtvij vā adhyāpako na bhavati sa api yadi ṛtvijāṁ ājñāṁ gṛhītvā śrāddhe agrāsanaṁ gṛhṇāti tarhi sa paṅktidoṣaṁ harati (dūrīkaroti) || atha ced vedavit sarvaḥ paṅktidoṣair avivarjitaḥ ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Kung ang isang tao na hindi pari ng ritwal (ṛtvik) o guro ng Veda ay gayon pa man, sa pahintulot ng mga pari, uupo sa luklukan ng dangal sa unahan ng hanay sa śrāddha, inaalis niya ang dungis na kung hindi ay makapipinsala sa hanay ng kainan. At kung siya’y tunay na marunong sa Veda at walang mga kapintasang nag-aalis ng karapat-dapat, napangangalagaan ang ritwal laban sa karumihan at nananatili ang nararapat na gantimpalang espirituwal.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Precedence in a śrāddha meal is governed by dharma and ritual authorization: if the officiating priests consent and the person is genuinely qualified (Veda-knowing and not disqualified by faults), taking the foremost seat does not corrupt the rite; rather, it prevents or removes the ‘paṅkti-doṣa’ that would arise from improper seating.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma, he explains a rule about śrāddha arrangements: even someone who is not formally an officiant or teacher may sit first in the dining line if the priests approve; the discussion then turns to the condition of being a true Veda-knower and whether one is free from disqualifying defects.