Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 26
मातापितृगुरुपूजा-प्रशंसा
Praise of Venerating Mother, Father, and Teacher
Devanagari script
येन प्रीणात्युपाध्यायं तेन स्याद् ब्रह्म पूजितम् । मातृतः पितृतश्वैव तस्मात् पूज्यतमो गुरु:
Transliteration
yena prīṇāty upādhyāyaṁ tena syād brahma pūjitam | mātṛtaḥ pitṛtaś caiva tasmāt pūjyatamo guruḥ ||
Translation
学生以何种行持使授业之师（upādhyāya）欢悦满足，便以何种行持礼拜了至上梵（Brahman）。因此，导师（古鲁）最当受敬——甚至胜过母亲与父亲。
Word by Word
येनby which (means)
येन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
प्रीणातिpleases
प्रीणाति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्री (प्रीणाति)
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
उपाध्यायम्the teacher (preceptor)
उपाध्यायम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootउपाध्याय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तेनby that
तेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
स्यात्would be / becomes
स्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormOptative (Potential), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
ब्रह्मBrahman (the Absolute)
ब्रह्म:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
पूजितम्worshipped / honored
पूजितम्:
TypeVerb
Rootपूज्
FormPast Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative, Singular
मातृतःthan (one's) mother / from the mother
मातृतः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ
FormFeminine, Ablative, Singular
पितृतःthan (one's) father / from the father
पितृतः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
तस्मात्therefore / from that
तस्मात्:
Apadana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular
पूज्यतमःmost worthy of worship
पूज्यतमः:
TypeAdjective
Rootपूज्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular, Superlative (-तम)
गुरुःthe teacher
गुरुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaU
Upadhyaya (teacher)B
Brahman (Supreme Reality)G
GuruM
MotherF
FatherCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Serving and pleasing one’s teacher through proper conduct is itself a form of worship of Brahman; hence the guru deserves the highest honor, even surpassing the reverence owed to parents.
In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs on dharma and right conduct; here he emphasizes the spiritual significance of honoring the teacher, framing it as direct worship of the Supreme.