Shloka 23
Rājā–Rāja-Śabda-Prabhavaḥ — The Origin and Rationale of Kingship and Daṇḍanīti
प्रसाद्य भगवन्तं ते देव लोकपितामहम् । ऊचुः: प्राज्जलय: सर्वे दुःखवेगसमाहता:,लोकपितामह भगवान् ब्रह्माको प्रसन्न करके दुःखके वेगसे पीड़ित हुए समस्त देवता उनसे हाथ जोड़कर बोले--
prasādya bhagavantaṃ te deva lokapitāmaham | ūcuḥ prāñjalayaḥ sarve duḥkhavegasamāhatāḥ ||
Bhishma berkata: Setelah memohon perkenan Tuhan Yang Mulia itu—Brahmā, datuk agung bagi segala dunia—para dewa, semuanya dihentam gelombang dukacita, lalu merapatkan tangan dengan penuh hormat dan berkata kepadanya—
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical posture: when afflicted by suffering, one should approach a worthy authority with humility and reverence. Even the gods model disciplined supplication (prāñjali) and seek guidance rather than acting from distress.
Bhishma narrates that the gods, overwhelmed by a wave of sorrow, first propitiate Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, and then address him with folded hands, setting up a request for counsel or intervention.