Shloka 50
ब्राह्मणपूजा-राजधर्मः | Royal Duty of Honoring Learned Brahmins
राजोवाच अयं ब्रह्मन्नितो राजा वीतहव्यो विसर्ज्यताम् । तस्य पुन्रैहि मे कृत्स्नो ब्रह्मन् वंश: प्रणाशित:
rājovāca—ayaṃ brahmann ito rājā vītahavyo visarjyatām | tasya punar ehi me kṛtsno brahman vaṃśaḥ praṇaśitaḥ |
రాజు పలికాడు—“బ్రహ్మన్! ఈ రాజు వీతహవ్యుని ఇక్కడి నుండి పంపివేయుము. విప్రశ్రేష్ఠా! ఇతని కుమారులు నా సమస్త వంశాన్ని నాశనం చేశారు.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between royal anger and the restraint expected in dharma: even when a lineage has been harmed, the king seeks a Brahmin’s intervention, implying that actions against others—especially other rulers—should be mediated through lawful, dharmic counsel rather than impulsive vengeance.
A king addresses a Brahmin and orders that King Vītahavya be removed from the place. He explains his motive: Vītahavya’s sons have destroyed the speaker’s entire family line, and the speaker reacts with grief and indignation while appealing to priestly authority.