Shloka 7
Purohita-Niyoga and the Brahma–Kṣatra Concord
Aila–Kaśyapa Saṃvāda
ऐल उवाच यदा हि ब्रह्म प्रजहाति क्षत्रं क्षत्रं यदा वा प्रजहाति ब्रह्म । अन्वग्बलं कतमे5स्मिन् भजन्ते तथा वर्णा: कतमे5स्मिन् प्रियन्ते
aila uvāca | yadā hi brahma prajahāti kṣatraṁ kṣatraṁ yadā vā prajahāti brahma | anvag-balaṁ katame 'smin bhajante tathā varṇāḥ katame 'smin priyante ||
Wika ni Aila: “Kapag iniwan ng mga Brahmin ang mga Kshatriya—o kapag iniwan ng mga Kshatriya ang mga Brahmin—kanino mapupunta ang nararapat na lakas at kapangyarihan? At sa gayong kalagayan, aling mga uri ng lipunan ang kakampi sa kanya, at alin ang magiging malapit at tapat sa kanya?”
ऐल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse probes the ethical foundation of political and social authority: when priestly (brahma) and royal (kṣatra) powers separate or reject each other, legitimacy becomes unstable, and society’s allegiance (varṇas ‘siding with’ and ‘becoming loyal’) shifts toward whichever principle/person can sustain order and recognized strength.
Aila raises a pointed question within a discourse on dharma and governance: he asks who truly holds effective power and social support when the traditional alliance between Brahmin authority and Kshatriya rule breaks down.