Shloka 16
ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins
दिवोदासस्तु विज्ञाय वीर्य तेषां यतात्मनाम् । वाराणसीं महातेजा निर्ममे शक्रशासनात्
divodāsas tu vijñāya vīrya teṣāṃ yatātmanām | vārāṇasīṃ mahātejā nirmame śakraśāsanāt ||
दिवोदासस्तु विज्ञाय वीर्यं तेषां यतात्मनाम्। वाराणसीं महातेजा निर्ममे शक्रशासनात्॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should assess realities—such as the strength and discipline of rivals—and act with foresight; at the same time, legitimate rule is portrayed as aligned with a higher order (here, Indra’s command), suggesting that political action gains ethical weight when guided by discernment and sanctioned authority.
Bhīṣma narrates that King Divodāsa, recognizing the prowess of the self-controlled Haihaya princes, established the city of Vārāṇasī, doing so in accordance with Śakra (Indra)’s directive.