Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 66
Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
इक्ष्वाकुणा शम्भुना च श्वेतेन सगरेण च | अजेन धुन्धुना चैव तथैव च सुबाहुना
ikṣvākuṇā śambhunā ca śvetena sagareṇa ca | ajena dhundhunā caiva tathaiva ca subāhunā
ភីṣ្មៈ បានមានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «(ប្រពៃណី/ធម៌នេះ) ត្រូវបានរក្សាទុកដោយ អិក្ខ្វាគុ (Ikṣvāku), ដោយ សម្ភុ (Śambhu), ដោយ ស្វេត (Śveta), ដោយ សគរ (Sagara); ដូចគ្នានេះផងដែរ ដោយ អជ (Aja) និង ធុន្ធុ (Dhundhu), ហើយក៏ដោយ សុបាហុ (Subāhu)»។
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical norms (dharma), especially for rulers, gain persuasive force when grounded in the conduct of revered predecessors; the verse appeals to lineage-based exemplars to reinforce continuity of righteous practice.
Bhīṣma is listing notable kings—Ikṣvāku, Śambhu, Śveta, Sagara, Aja, Dhundhu, and Subāhu—as authoritative exemplars, likely to support a point about established royal conduct or a long-standing tradition within a famed dynasty.