Shloka 8
पात्रलक्षण-परिक्षा (Pātra-Lakṣaṇa Parīkṣā) — Criteria for a Worthy Recipient
Devanagari script
ब्राह्मणेषु तु तुष्टेषु प्रीयन्ते पितर: सदा
Transliteration
brāhmaṇeṣu tu tuṣṭeṣu prīyante pitaraḥ sadā
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“婆罗门得以满足之时，祖先便恒常欢喜。”
Word by Word
ब्राह्मणेषुamong/in the Brahmins
ब्राह्मणेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तुष्टेषुwhen (they are) pleased/satisfied
तुष्टेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootतुष्ट
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
प्रीयन्तेare pleased/rejoice
प्रीयन्ते:
TypeVerb
Rootप्री (प्रीञ्)
FormPresent, Ātmanepada, Third, Plural, Active (intransitive sense)
पितरःthe ancestors (manes)
पितरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सदाalways
सदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
ब
ब्राह्मण (Brāhmaṇa)प
पितरः (Pitaraḥ, ancestors)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that pleasing worthy brāhmaṇas—through respectful conduct, hospitality, and proper giving—serves as an effective way to please the pitṛs (ancestors). It links social-ethical duty (honoring learned and virtuous persons) with ancestral obligation (pitṛ-yajña/śrāddha).
In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma, including duties toward ancestors and the proper performance of rites and giving. Here he states a principle: the satisfaction of brāhmaṇas is taken as a sign and means of ancestral satisfaction.