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 ||
毗湿摩说道：“若有人既非祭官（ṛtvik），亦非吠陀教师，却在诸祭官许可之下，于施罗陀（śrāddha）之席列中就首座，则能除去本会玷污席列的过失。并且，若其人确为通晓吠陀、无诸不合格之瑕疵者，则仪式得以免于不净，其所期之功德亦得保存。”
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.