Shloka 36

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच ब्राह्मणानेव सेवेत विद्यावृद्धांस्तपस्विन: । श्रुतचारित्रवृत्ताब्यान्‌ पवित्र होतदुत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca brāhmaṇān eva seveta vidyā-vṛddhāṁs tapasvinaḥ | śruta-cāritra-vṛttāḍhyān pavitrāṁs te tad uttamam ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，当亲近并侍奉的，唯有那些在学识与苦行上皆臻精进的婆罗门——具足圣典之学，品行高洁，举止自律。此等侍奉，至为殊胜，亦能净化身心。”

Word by Word

• भीष्मः: Bhishma
• भीष्मः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सेवेत: should serve/attend upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• विद्या-वृद्धान्: advanced in learning
• विद्या-वृद्धान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या-वृद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• श्रुत-चारित्र-वृत्त-आढ्यान्: rich in scriptural learning, good conduct, and right practice
• श्रुत-चारित्र-वृत्त-आढ्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुत-चारित्र-वृत्त-आढ्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पवित्रम्: purifying/sacred
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एतत्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• उत्तमम्: best/supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Rājan (the king, i.e., Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Choose one’s guides and associates carefully: serve and learn from Brahmins who combine learning (vidyā/śruta) with austerity (tapas) and exemplary character and conduct (cāritra, vṛtta). Such association is presented as a highly purifying dharmic act.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous living after the war, emphasizing that the king should honor and serve truly qualified, virtuous Brahmins as part of sustaining dharma in society.