Shloka 14
न त्वं मूढ विजानीषिे ब्राह्मण क्षत्रियाद् वरम् । सहितो ब्राह्माणेनेह क्षत्रिय: शास्ति वै प्रजा:
na tvaṁ mūḍha vijānīṣe brāhmaṇa kṣatriyād varam | sahito brāhmaṇeneha kṣatriyaḥ śāsti vai prajāḥ ||
Bhishma disse: “Tu, iludido, não compreendes que o Brāhmaṇa é superior ao Kṣatriya. Neste mundo, é somente com o apoio do Brāhmaṇa que o Kṣatriya de fato governa e protege o povo.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Political power (kṣatra) is meant to function under the guidance of spiritual-intellectual authority (brāhmaṇa). The verse asserts that righteous governance and protection of the people become effective when the ruler is supported by learned, dharma-grounded counsel.
Bhīṣma delivers an admonition—framed as a rebuke to a ‘deluded’ listener—stating that one fails to grasp the higher status of the Brāhmaṇa. He explains that a Kṣatriya’s ability to rule and safeguard the populace depends upon alliance with and guidance from Brāhmaṇas.