Shloka 93
Adharmic Victory as Unstable; Rules of Restraint, Mediation, and Conciliation (अधर्मविजय-अध्रुवत्व तथा क्षमा-नयः)
असंख्येयस्तदूर्ध्व स्थादनादेयश्व संसदि । इन दोनोंमेंसे जो कोई भी पक्ष ब्राह्मणका तिरस्कार करता है
asaṅkhyeyas tadūrdhva sthād anādeyaś ca saṃsadi |
Bhīṣma berkata: “Orang demikian menjadi tidak terhitung lagi, dan sejak saat itu tidak patut diterima dalam majlis. Sesiapa pun daripada dua pihak yang menunjukkan penghinaan terhadap seorang Brahmana, dia memecahkan batas tata susila yang kuno dan diwarisi turun-temurun. Dan jika seorang pahlawan hina yang mengaku dirinya Kṣatriya melanggar norma yang telah ditetapkan itu, maka selepas itu dia tidak wajar dihitung dalam golongan Kṣatriya, dan tidak pula patut diberi tempat duduk dalam dewan Kṣatriya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Respect for Brahmins is presented as a foundational, ancient norm of social and moral order; violating it—especially by one claiming Kshatriya status—nullifies one’s standing in the Kshatriya community and disqualifies one from participation in its assemblies.
In Bhishma’s instruction discourse in the Shanti Parva, he lays down a rule of communal and political ethics: contempt toward Brahmins is a breach of established tradition, and a Kshatriya who commits such a breach should be socially and institutionally excluded (not counted among Kshatriyas and denied a seat in their council).