Shloka 56
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
प्रीयता हि तदा ब्रह्मन् ममानुग्रहबुद्धिना । पितृकार्ये त्वया पूर्वमुपदेश: कृतोडनघ
prīyatā hi tadā brahman mamānugraha-buddhinā | pitṛkārye tvayā pūrvam upadeśaḥ kṛto 'naghā ||
Hỡi Bà-la-môn vô tội, thuở ấy ngài dành cho ta tình thương lớn. Vì muốn ban ân cho ta, ngài đã sớm chỉ dạy ta nghi thức đúng đắn của các lễ cúng tổ tiên.
पुरोहित उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed through proper performance of ancestral rites and the ethical responsibility of a learned person to guide others in correct ritual procedure, motivated by goodwill (anugraha).
The priest-speaker addresses a Brahmin, recalling an earlier time when the Brahmin was affectionate toward him and, out of benevolence, taught him the necessary method for performing pitṛkārya (rites for the ancestors).