Shloka 32

Chapter 78: Royal Responsibility for Wealth, Social Order, and the Protection of Dvijas

Kekaya Exemplum

Devanagari script

भीष्म उवाच तस्माद्‌ द्विजातीन्‌ रक्षेत ते हि रक्षन्ति रक्षिता: । आशीरेषां भवेद्‌ राजन्‌ राज्ञां सम्यकृप्रवर्तताम्‌

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca tasmād dvijātīn rakṣet te hi rakṣanti rakṣitāḥ | āśīr eṣāṁ bhaved rājan rājñāṁ samyak pravartatām ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു— അതിനാൽ, ഹേ രാജാവേ, ദ്വിജന്മാരെ— പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ— സംരക്ഷിക്കണം; അവർ സംരക്ഷിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ രാജാക്കളെയും അവർ സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നു. ധർമ്മപ്രകാരം ശരിയായി പെരുമാറുന്ന രാജാക്കന്മാർക്ക് ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ ആശീർവാദം ഉറപ്പായും ലഭിക്കും.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tasmāt', 'definition': 'therefore

• for that reason'}, {'term': 'dvijātīn', 'definition': 'the twice-born (traditionally Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas)

• here chiefly Brahmins as custodians of Veda and counsel'}, {'term': 'rakṣet', 'definition': 'should protect

• ought to safeguard'}, {'term': 'rakṣanti', 'definition': 'they protect

• they safeguard'}, {'term': 'rakṣitāḥ', 'definition': 'when protected

• being safeguarded'}, {'term': 'āśīḥ (āśīr)', 'definition': 'blessing

• auspicious favor'}, {'term': 'rājan', 'definition': 'O king (vocative)'}, {'term': 'rājñām', 'definition': 'of kings

• for rulers'}, {'term': 'samyak', 'definition': 'properly

• in accordance with dharma'}, {'term': 'pravartatām', 'definition': 'of those who act/behave

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (Yudhishthira, addressed as rājan)
• Dvijāti (twice-born, especially Brahmins)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A king’s duty (rājadharma) includes protecting the twice-born—especially Brahmins—because their safeguarded presence sustains counsel, learning, ritual order, and moral authority; in return they ‘protect’ the ruler through guidance and benediction, which supports stable and righteous governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance, Bhishma addresses the king (Yudhishthira) and explains a principle of reciprocal responsibility: royal protection of Brahmins leads to their protective support of the kingdom, and righteous royal conduct earns their blessings.