Shloka 32
Purohita-Niyoga and the Brahma–Kṣatra Concord
Aila–Kaśyapa Saṃvāda
ब्रह्म वर्धयति क्षत्र क्षत्रतो ब्रह्म वर्धते । एवं राज्ञा विशेषण पूज्या वै ब्राह्म॒णा: सदा
kāśyapa uvāca | brahma vardhayati kṣatra kṣatrato brahma vardhate | evaṁ rājñā viśeṣeṇa pūjyā vai brāhmaṇāḥ sadā | (rājñaḥ sarvasya cānyasya svāmī rājapurohitaḥ |)
ब्रह्म क्षत्रं वर्धयति, क्षत्रात् ब्रह्म वर्धते। एवं विशेषेण राज्ञा ब्राह्मणाः सदा पूज्याः; राजपुरोहितो हि राज्ञः सर्वस्य चान्यस्य च मार्गदर्शकः स्वामीव।
कश्यप उवाच
Educational Q&A
Spiritual authority (brahma/brāhmaṇa) and royal power (kṣatra/kṣatriya) are mutually sustaining; therefore a king must consistently honor brāhmaṇas, recognizing the purohita’s guiding authority in maintaining righteous governance.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Kāśyapa states a principle of statecraft: the king’s strength depends on brahminical counsel and legitimacy, while brāhmaṇas flourish under kṣatriya protection; hence the king should especially revere brāhmaṇas and the royal priest.