Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 26
ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins
राजोवाच भगवन् वैतहत्यैमें युद्धे वंश: प्रणाशित: । अहमेकः: परिद्यूनो भवन्तं शरणं गत:
rājovāca bhagavan vaitahavyaiḥ ime yuddhe vaṁśaḥ praṇāśitaḥ | aham ekaḥ paridyūno bhavantaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ ||
ਰਾਜੇ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—“ਭਗਵਨ! ਇਸ ਯੁੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀਤਹਵ੍ਯ ਦੇ ਪੁੱਤਰਾਂ ਨੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਵੰਸ਼ ਦਾ ਨਾਸ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ। ਮੈਂ ਇਕੱਲਾ ਹੀ, ਘੋਰ ਦੁੱਖ ਨਾਲ ਪੀੜਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਸ਼ਰਨ ਆਇਆ ਹਾਂ।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic moment: after catastrophic loss in war, the proper response is humility and seeking guidance from a worthy authority. It highlights the ethical turn from vengeance or despair toward śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in wisdom and dharma for restoration of right conduct.
A king, whose dynasty has been wiped out in battle by Vītahavya’s descendants, approaches a revered figure (addressed as bhagavan) in deep sorrow, declaring himself the lone survivor and asking for protection and counsel.