Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 51
Adhyāya 119: Vyāsa–Kīṭa-saṃvāda
Tapas-bala and karmic ascent across yoni
आकाशाददवरनिं प्राप्तस्ततः स पृथिवीपति: । एतदेव पुनश्नोक्त्वा विवेश धरणीतलम्
ākāśād adhaḥ varaṇiṁ prāptas tataḥ sa pṛthivīpatiḥ | etad eva punaś coktvā viveśa dharaṇītalam ||
Sinabi ni Bhishma: “Ang haring iyon, panginoon ng lupa, ay nahulog mula sa langit at dumating sa lupa. Pagkaraan, sa pag-uulit niya ng gayon ding hatol, siya’y lumubog sa kailaliman ng lupa.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s authority depends on dharmic judgment; an unjust decision causes loss of status, and stubbornly repeating the same wrong judgment leads to an even deeper fall.
Bhishma describes a king who first falls from the sky to the earth, and then—after repeating the same pronouncement—sinks further into the earth, illustrating escalating consequences for unethical rulings.