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
ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഈ പരമ്പര ഇക്ഷ്വാകു, ശംഭു, ശ്വേതൻ, സഗരൻ; അതുപോലെ അജൻ, ധുന്ധു, സുബാഹു എന്നിവരും പാലിച്ചിരുന്നു.
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.