Shloka 16
मातापितृगुरुपूजा-प्रशंसा
Praise of Venerating Mother, Father, and Teacher
दशैव तु सदा5<चार्य: श्रोत्रियानतिरिच्यते
daśaiva tu sadā ācāryaḥ śrotriyān atiricyate
Bhīṣma nói: “Quả thật, một ācārya (bậc thầy dẫn dắt) luôn được xem là đáng tôn kính gấp mười lần so với một śrotriya (người chỉ tinh thông việc tụng đọc Veda).”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the ācārya—who imparts not only knowledge but also right conduct and disciplined living—has greater dharmic standing than someone who is only a śrotriya, i.e., learned in Vedic hearing/recitation. It prioritizes transformative instruction and ethical formation over mere textual mastery.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and social-ethical order. Here he states a normative hierarchy of respect: the role of the ācārya is to be honored as surpassing the status of a Veda-reciter, underscoring the importance of guidance that shapes character.