Shloka 2
Umā–Maheśvara-saṃvāda: Varṇa-bhraṃśa, Ācāra (Vṛtta), and Karmic Ascent/Decline
विष्णुरुवाच ब्राह्मणानां परीवादो मम विद्वेषणं महत् । ब्राह्मणै: पूजितैर्नित्यं पूजितो5हं न संशय:
viṣṇur uvāca—brāhmaṇānāṃ parīvādo mama vidveṣaṇaṃ mahat | brāhmaṇaiḥ pūjitair nityaṃ pūjito ’haṃ na saṃśayaḥ ||
Viṣṇu nói: “Phỉ báng các Bà-la-môn, xét cho cùng, chính là ôm mối thù ghét lớn đối với ta. Khi các Bà-la-môn được tôn kính không ngừng, thì ta cũng được tôn kính—điều ấy không hề nghi ngờ.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that ethical speech and reverence toward brāhmaṇas are integral to dharma: slandering them is treated as hostility toward Viṣṇu himself, while honoring them is counted as honoring Viṣṇu.
Within Bhīṣma’s discourse, a citation is given in which Viṣṇu states a principle to Indra: the social-religious order is upheld by respecting brāhmaṇas, and such respect is directly linked to devotion to Viṣṇu.