Shloka 87
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
तदेतदार्ष माद्रेय प्रमाणं कर्तुमरहसि । असेश्व पूजा कर्तव्या सदा युद्धविशारदै:
tad etad ārṣaṃ mādreya pramāṇaṃ kartum arhasi | aśeṣvā pūjā kartavyā sadā yuddhaviśāradaiḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：“噢，摩陀利之子，你当以此为权威，因为这是诸仙所传之见。故而，精于战事之人应当恒常礼敬宝剑——以敬畏之心待之，视其为与职责与戒律相系的器具。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma urges the listener to treat the seers’ instruction as a valid authority (pramāṇa) and to maintain continual reverence for the weapon of duty—symbolized by worship of the sword—so that power is exercised with restraint, responsibility, and dharmic awareness.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction to the Pandavas, Bhishma addresses a son of Madri and endorses a rishi-sanctioned practice: warriors skilled in battle should regularly honor their sword, affirming the sacred accountability attached to warfare.