Shloka 27
Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)
भूय: स्यादुभयं दत्तं ब्राह्मणाद् यदकोपनात् । कुर्यादुभयत: शेषं दत्तशेषं न शेषयेत्
bhūyaḥ syād ubhayaṁ dattaṁ brāhmaṇād yad akopanāt | kuryād ubhayataḥ śeṣaṁ dattaśeṣaṁ na śeṣayet ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dengarkan lagi: apa pun daya yang dipancarkan oleh seorang Brāhmaṇa yang bebas dari amarah menjadi berlipat ganda kemujarabannya. Bila tejas dan tapas dipertarungkan dari kedua pihak, mungkin masih tersisa sedikit; namun sisa daya Kṣatriya yang telah ditahan oleh Brāhmaṇa yang sabar dan terkendali—jika kemudian diarahkan kepada Brāhmaṇa yang sungguh cemerlang—akan terpental balik dan padam sama sekali, tanpa menyisakan apa pun.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Anger-driven power is self-defeating: a Brahmin’s calm forbearance (akrodha, kṣānti) neutralizes hostile tejas/tapas, and any residual aggressive force, when turned against true spiritual brilliance, rebounds and is completely destroyed. The verse elevates self-control over retaliatory fury.
Bhishma is instructing on the dynamics of spiritual and moral power between social orders: the Kshatriya’s aggressive ‘fire’ (tejas/tapas used as force) is checked by a patient Brahmin; if the Kshatriya then tries to use what remains against a truly radiant Brahmin, that force is repelled and extinguished entirely.