Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ऋ्विक्पुरोहिताचार्या मृदुब्रह्म॒धरा हि ते । क्षात्रेणापि हि संसृष्टं तेज: शाम्यति वै द्विजे,ऋत्विक, पुरोहित और आचार्य--ये प्रायः कोमल स्वभाववाले और वेदोंको धारण करनेवाले होते हैं। क्षत्रियका तेज ब्राह्मणके पास जाते ही शान्त हो जाता है

Transliteration

ṛtvij-purohita-ācāryā mṛdu-brahma-dharā hi te | kṣātreṇāpi hi saṃsṛṣṭaṃ tejaḥ śāmyati vai dvije ||

Translation

ఋత్వికులు, పురోహితులు, ఆచార్యులు—వారు సాధారణంగా మృదుస్వభావులు, వేదధర్మధారులు. క్షత్రియుని తేజస్సు కూడా బ్రాహ్మణుని సన్నిధిలోకి రాగానే శాంతిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

ऋत्विक्sacrificial priest (ṛtvij)

पुरोहितfamily priest, chaplain

आचार्याःteachers, preceptors

मृदु-ब्रह्म-धराःgentle and bearers of sacred knowledge (Veda)

हिindeed, for

तेthey (those)

क्षात्रेणwith/through kṣatriya-power, warrior energy

अपिeven, also

हिindeed

संसृष्टम्mixed, associated, in contact (with)

तेजःsplendor, fiery energy

शाम्यतिbecomes calm, is pacified

वैindeed, surely

द्विजेin/with a twice-born (brahmin)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Ṛ

ṛtvij (ritvik priest)

purohita

ācārya

dvija (brahmin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Brahminical learning and gentle discipline are presented as a moral counterbalance to royal/warrior force: the kshatriya’s tejas should be moderated by the counsel and presence of Veda-bearing teachers and priests, so power remains aligned with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma (Anushasana Parva), he characterizes ritviks, purohitas, and acharyas as gentle Vedic custodians and explains their social-ethical role: when a kshatriya approaches such a dvija, the warrior’s aggressive heat naturally settles, enabling guidance, restraint, and righteous governance.