Shloka 523
ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins
नेहास्ति क्षत्रिय: कश्रित् सर्वे हीमे द्विजातय: । तब धर्मात्माओंमें श्रेष्ठ भूगुने दयासे द्रवित होकर उनसे कहा--'राजन्! यहाँ कोई क्षत्रिय नहीं है। ये सब-के-सब ब्राह्मण हैं
bhīṣma uvāca | nehāsti kṣatriyaḥ kaścit sarve hīme dvijātayaḥ |
Bhishma sagte: „O König, hier gibt es keinen einzigen Kshatriya. Alle, die hier anwesend sind, sind Zweimalgeborene (Brahmanen).“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma emphasizes dharmic discernment: one must recognize who stands before them and act accordingly. If those present are brahmins (dvijas), the proper response is respect and protection, not the adversarial posture appropriate to conflict with kshatriya opponents.
Bhishma addresses a king and clarifies the identity of the people present, stating that there are no kshatriyas among them and that all are dvijas (brahmins). The remark functions as a moral and practical warning about how the king should proceed.