Shloka 52
Āśrama-dharma: Duties of the Four Life-Stages (आश्रमधर्मः)
उन षोडश प्रकारके अग्निहोत्रोंकोी जो जानता है, वही यज्ञ-सम्बन्धी निश्चयात्मक ज्ञानसे सम्पन्न है। ऐसा ज्ञानी एवं श्रद्धालु द्विज ही यज्ञ करनेका अधिकारी है ।।
ṣoḍaśa-prakārakān agnihotrān yo jānāti sa eva yajña-sambandhi niścayātmaka-jñānena sampannaḥ; sa jñānī śraddadhāno dvija eva yajña-karaṇe ’dhikārī. steno vā yadi vā pāpo yadi vā pāpakṛttamaḥ | yaṣṭum icchati yajñaṃ yaḥ sādhum eva vadanti tam ||
毗湿摩说：唯有真正通晓十六种阿耆尼火供（Agnihotra）者，方具关于祭祀的决定之智；如此有学而具信（śraddhā）的二生者（dvija），才堪为行祭之人。即便一人是盗贼，是罪人，乃至诸恶之最，若他真诚愿行祭祀，人们仍称其为“善人”（sādhu）；因为转心趋向神圣义务的意愿，本身就被视作走向德行的一步。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ritual action (yajña) is not merely a mechanical performance: it requires settled knowledge of the rite and faith, hence the emphasis on the qualified, learned dvija. At the same time, the verse highlights the ethical power of turning toward dharma—one who earnestly wishes to perform yajña is socially and morally regarded as moving toward goodness, even if his past conduct was gravely sinful.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma is teaching principles of sacrificial duty and eligibility. He explains who is fit to perform yajñas (those with knowledge and śraddhā) and then underscores a reformative idea: the intention to undertake sacred duty is itself treated as a sign of virtue, even in a person with a tainted past.