Anushasana Parva Adhyaya 62 Shloka 24 - Mahabharata | German | Vedapath

Vyasa

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Shloka 24

अन्नदान-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Gift of Food) | Annadāna-Praśaṃsā

Devanagari script

ऋ्विक्पुरोहिताचार्या मृदुब्रह्म॒धरा हि ते । क्षात्रेणापि हि संसृष्टं तेज: शाम्यति वै द्विजे,ऋत्विक, पुरोहित और आचार्य--ये प्रायः कोमल स्वभाववाले और वेदोंको धारण करनेवाले होते हैं। क्षत्रियका तेज ब्राह्मणके पास जाते ही शान्त हो जाता है

Transliteration

ṛtvij-purohita-ācāryā mṛdu-brahma-dharā hi te | kṣātreṇāpi hi saṃsṛṣṭaṃ tejaḥ śāmyati vai dvije ||

Translation

Bhishma sprach: „Ritviks (Opferpriester), Purohitas (königliche Hauspriester) und Acharyas (Lehrer) sind zumeist von sanftem Wesen und Träger vedischer Weisheit. Selbst die feurige Kraft des Kshatriya wird, sobald sie mit einem Brahmanen in Berührung kommt, besänftigt.“

Word by Word

ऋत्विक्sacrificial priest (ṛtvij)

पुरोहितfamily priest, chaplain

आचार्याःteachers, preceptors

मृदु-ब्रह्म-धराःgentle and bearers of sacred knowledge (Veda)

हिindeed, for

तेthey (those)

क्षात्रेणwith/through kṣatriya-power, warrior energy

अपिeven, also

हिindeed

संसृष्टम्mixed, associated, in contact (with)

तेजःsplendor, fiery energy

शाम्यतिbecomes calm, is pacified

वैindeed, surely

द्विजेin/with a twice-born (brahmin)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Ṛ

ṛtvij (ritvik priest)

purohita

ācārya

dvija (brahmin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahminical learning and gentle discipline are presented as a moral counterbalance to royal/warrior force: the kshatriya’s tejas should be moderated by the counsel and presence of Veda-bearing teachers and priests, so power remains aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he characterizes ritviks, purohitas, and acharyas as gentle Vedic custodians and explains their social-ethical role: when a kshatriya approaches such a dvija, the warrior’s aggressive heat naturally settles, enabling guidance, restraint, and righteous governance.