Shloka 21
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
शास्त्र ब्राह्मणमन्त्राश्व॒ शास्ता प्राग्वदतां वर: । धर्मपालो5क्षरो देव: सत्यगो नित्यगोडग्रज:
śāstra-brāhmaṇa-mantrāśva śāstā prāg-vadatāṃ varaḥ | dharma-pālo 'kṣaro devaḥ satya-go nitya-go 'grajaḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: “He is the supreme guide, the best among those who have spoken from of old—upholding the authority of scripture, the sanctity of the Brāhmaṇa, and the power of sacred mantras. He is the protector of dharma, the imperishable divine one, ever moving in truth and ever steadfast—the foremost elder.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate authority—whether of a king or a divine guardian—is grounded in protecting dharma through fidelity to śāstra, honoring Brāhmaṇas and mantras, and unwavering commitment to truth and imperishability of principle.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous governance and ethical order. Here he offers a laudatory description of the ideal protector—one who safeguards dharma and embodies truth—framing the standards by which rule and moral leadership should be measured.