Shloka 16
Sandhi–Vigraha in Āpada: The Mouse and the Cat (सन्धिविग्रहापदि—मूषकमार्जारसंवादः)
सर्वभूतेष्वपि च वै ब्राह्मणो मोक्षमर्हति । कार्याचोपचितिस्तेषां सर्वस्वेनापि या भवेत्
sarvabhūteṣv api ca vai brāhmaṇo mokṣam arhati | kāryāc copacitis teṣāṁ sarvasvenāpi yā bhavet |
Kāyavya said: “Among all beings, the brāhmaṇa is indeed worthy of deliverance. Therefore, even if it costs you everything you possess, you should render them service and honor—doing what must be done to secure their protection and to uphold the rightful order.”
कायव्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates the brāhmaṇa as especially connected with mokṣa and insists that protecting and honoring such a person is a binding duty—so important that one should be willing to sacrifice even one’s entire wealth to uphold dharma and secure rightful protection.
In a didactic exchange within Śānti Parva, Kāvyā states a normative rule: when facing danger or coercion (as implied by the accompanying Hindi gloss about robbers), one should prioritize the protection and respectful service of brāhmaṇas, treating it as an urgent obligation tied to moral order and spiritual merit.