Shloka 36
अन्नदान-प्रशंसा (Praise of the Gift of Food) | Annadāna-Praśaṃsā
क्षत्रियाणां प्रतपतां तेजसा च बलेन च | ब्राह्मणेष्वेव शाम्यन्ति तेजांसि च तपांसि च
kṣatriyāṇāṃ pratapatāṃ tejasā ca balena ca | brāhmaṇeṣv eva śāmyanti tejāṃsi ca tapāṃsi ca ||
Bhishma said: Even the Kshatriyas who blaze with royal might—burning with splendor and strength—find that their fiery power and austerity subside when they come into the presence and sphere of the Brahmanas. The verse underscores an ethical hierarchy in which spiritual authority and restraint pacify worldly force, directing power toward dharma rather than domination.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worldly power (tejas and bala) is meant to be tempered by spiritual discipline and moral authority (represented by Brahmanas). The verse teaches that force and pride naturally quiet down in the presence of higher ethical and ascetic standards, aligning rulership with dharma.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and proper conduct. Here he states a general principle: even the most formidable Kshatriyas, blazing with strength and splendor, become pacified when they come before Brahmanas—highlighting the ideal relationship between political power and spiritual guidance.