Shloka 19
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
तस्माद् राज्ञ: सदा तेजो दुःसहं ब्रह्म॒वादिनाम् । कर्ता शास्ता विधाता च ब्राह्मणो देव उच्यते
tasmād rājñaḥ sadā tejo duḥsahaṃ brahmavādinām | kartā śāstā vidhātā ca brāhmaṇo deva ucyate ||
Bhīṣma said: “Therefore, for a king, the spiritual radiance and authority of those who speak and uphold Brahman is always hard to withstand. The Brāhmaṇa is called a ‘deva’—the one regarded as creator, chastiser and ruler, and the establisher who sustains the order of the world.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that a king should recognize the superior spiritual authority (tejas) of Veda-upholding Brāhmaṇas; their role is portrayed as foundational to cosmic and social order—creating, regulating, and sustaining dharma—hence they are termed ‘deva’ in a normative, honorific sense.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira about the principles of righteous rule, emphasizing the king’s relationship to Brāhmaṇas and the need to respect their moral-spiritual power and counsel.