Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 14
न त्वं मूढ विजानीषिे ब्राह्मण क्षत्रियाद् वरम् । सहितो ब्राह्माणेनेह क्षत्रिय: शास्ति वै प्रजा:
na tvaṁ mūḍha vijānīṣe brāhmaṇa kṣatriyād varam | sahito brāhmaṇeneha kṣatriyaḥ śāsti vai prajāḥ ||
“ಮೂಢನೇ! ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನು ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನಿಗಿಂತ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನೆಂಬುದನ್ನು ನೀನು ತಿಳಿಯುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನ ಸಹಕಾರದಿಂದಲೇ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನು ಈ ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಜೆಯನ್ನು ಶಾಸಿಸಿ ರಕ್ಷಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Political power (kṣatra) is meant to function under the guidance of spiritual-intellectual authority (brāhmaṇa). The verse asserts that righteous governance and protection of the people become effective when the ruler is supported by learned, dharma-grounded counsel.
Bhīṣma delivers an admonition—framed as a rebuke to a ‘deluded’ listener—stating that one fails to grasp the higher status of the Brāhmaṇa. He explains that a Kṣatriya’s ability to rule and safeguard the populace depends upon alliance with and guidance from Brāhmaṇas.