Shloka 26
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
तत्र राज्ञो वच:ः श्रुत्वा विप्रास्ते भरतर्षभ । नियता वाग्यताश्वैव पावकं शरणं ययु:,भरतश्रेष्ठ] राजाकी यह बात सुनकर उन ब्राह्मणोंने शौच-संतोष आदि नियमोंके पालनपूर्वक मौन हो भगवान् अग्निदेवकी शरण ली
tatra rājño vacaḥ śrutvā viprās te bharatarṣabha | niyatā vāgyatāś caiva pāvakaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayuḥ ||
O toro ng mga Bharata, nang marinig ang sinabi ng hari, ang mga brahmanang iyon—mahigpit sa kanilang mga pagtalima at pinipigil ang pananalita—ay nanahimik at naghanap ng kanlungan kay Pāvaka, ang Diyos ng Apoy.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic mode of conduct: when confronted with a king’s pronouncement, the brāhmaṇas respond through niyama (disciplined observance) and vāg-yama (restraint of speech), choosing silence and seeking refuge in Agni—symbol of purity, truth, and divine witnessing—rather than reacting impulsively.
After hearing the king’s words, the brāhmaṇas become silent, maintain their prescribed disciplines, and go to Pāvaka (Agni) for protection/refuge, indicating a turn toward sacred authority and ritual-ethical grounding in the face of the situation created by royal speech.