Shloka 22
Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)
नारी तु पत्यभावे वै देवरं कुरुते पतिम् । पृथिवी ब्राह्मणालाभे क्षत्रियं कुरुते पतिम्
nārī tu patyabhāve vai devaraṃ kurute patim | pṛthivī brāhmaṇālābhe kṣatriyaṃ kurute patim |
ভীষ্ম বললেন—যেমন নারী স্বামীর অভাবে দেবরকে স্বামীরূপে গ্রহণ করে, তেমনই পৃথিবী ব্রাহ্মণ না পেলে ক্ষত্রিয়কে নিজের অধিপতি হিসেবে গ্রহণ করে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches a hierarchy of rightful leadership: ideally the Brāhmaṇa (as dharma-guiding authority) is foremost, but when that is unavailable, the Kṣatriya is accepted as ruler-protector to preserve order; the analogy illustrates pragmatic dharma—choosing the next-best legitimate support in a crisis.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma and governance, he uses a social analogy (a widow accepting the devara) to explain how the Earth/kingdom accepts a Kṣatriya’s sovereignty when a Brāhmaṇa is not present to lead—emphasizing continuity of protection and rule.