Shloka 22
Śakra–Śambara Saṃvāda: Brāhmaṇa-sevā, Anasūyā, and Vāg-bala (शक्रशम्बरसंवादः)
द्राविडाश्व॒ कलिड्नाश्च पुलिन्दाश्षाप्युशीनरा: । कोलिसर्पा माहिषकास्तास्ता: क्षत्रियजातय:,विजयी वीरोंमें श्रेष्ठ नरेश! द्राविड़, कलिंग, पुलिन्द, उशीनर, कोलिसर्प और माहिषक आदि क्षत्रिय जातियाँ भी ब्राह्मणोंकी कृपादृष्टि न मिलनेसे ही शूद्र हो गयीं। ब्राह्मणोंसे हार मान लेनेमें ही कल्याण है, उन्हें हराना अच्छा नहीं है
Bhīṣma uvāca: drāviḍāś ca kaliṅgāś ca pulindāś cāpy uśīnarāḥ | kolisarpā māhiṣakās tāstāḥ kṣatriyajātayaḥ ||
Bhishma said: “The Dravidas, the Kalingas, the Pulindas, and also the Uśīnaras; the Kolisarpas and the Māhiṣakas—these and other communities were originally of kṣatriya stock. Yet, deprived of the gracious regard and sustaining favor of the brāhmaṇas, they came to be regarded as śūdras. Therefore, O best of victorious heroes and king, one’s welfare lies in yielding to the brāhmaṇas; it is not good to seek to overcome them.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that a king’s welfare lies in honoring and not opposing brāhmaṇas. He frames brāhmaṇic favor (anugraha/kṛpā) as socially and ethically sustaining: when kṣatriya groups lose that support and alignment with brāhmaṇic dharma, they are said to fall in status and be treated as śūdra.
In Bhishma’s instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira on conduct and dharma, he cites examples of various peoples (Dravidas, Kalingas, etc.) described as once kṣatriya communities who later came to be regarded as śūdra due to not receiving brāhmaṇas’ gracious regard. He uses this as a cautionary precedent to advise the king to yield to brāhmaṇas rather than contend with them.