Shloka 42

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा हि महाभागा देवानामपि देवता: । तेषु राजन्‌ प्रवर्तेत पूजया विधिपूर्वकम्‌,राजन! महाभाग! ब्राह्मण देवताओंके भी देवता हैं; अतः उनका विधिपूर्वक पूजन- आदर-सत्कार करते हुए ही उनके साथ बर्ताव करे

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā hi mahābhāgā devānām api devatāḥ | teṣu rājan pravarteta pūjayā vidhipūrvakam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “O King, the Brahmins—truly fortunate and venerable—are regarded as the very divinities even of the gods. Therefore, O ruler, let your conduct toward them be guided by proper, rule-based worship: honor them, serve them, and deal with them only with due reverence.”

Word by Word

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

हिindeed/for

महाभागाःhighly fortunate/noble

देवानाम्of the gods

अपिeven/also

देवताःdivinities/deities

तेषुamong them/in them

राजन्O king

प्रवर्तेतshould conduct himself/should behave

पूजयाby worship/with honor

विधि-पूर्वकम्according to rule/with due procedure

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

King (Yudhiṣṭhira, addressed as rājan)

Brāhmaṇas

Devas (gods)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s dharma includes treating Brahmins with the highest reverence—approaching them with disciplined, rule-guided honor (pūjā done vidhipūrvakam), not casual or self-serving behavior.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on ethical governance and proper conduct. Here he emphasizes that Brahmins are to be regarded as supremely venerable, so the king should interact with them through formal respect, service, and prescribed etiquette.