Shloka 28
Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)
दण्डपाणियर्यथा गोषु पालो नित्यं हि रक्षयेत् । ब्राह्मणान् ब्रह्म च तथा क्षत्रिय: परिपालयेत्
daṇḍapāṇir yathā goṣu pālo nityaṁ hi rakṣayet | brāhmaṇān brahma ca tathā kṣatriyaḥ paripālayet ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Sebagaimana seorang penggembala, bertongkat di tangan, senantiasa menjaga kawanan sapi, demikian pula Kṣatriya wajib terus-menerus melindungi para Brāhmaṇa dan Brahman—yakni tatanan suci Weda.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that a Kṣatriya’s dharma is protective: like a vigilant herdsman guarding cattle with a staff, the ruler/warrior must actively and continuously safeguard Brāhmaṇas and the Vedic sacred order (brahma), ensuring the stability of dharma in society.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on conduct and duties, he uses a practical analogy from pastoral life to define royal responsibility: protection is not occasional but constant, and it extends beyond physical security to preserving the institutions of sacred learning and ritual authority.