Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 11

Brāhmaṇa-bheda-nirṇaya and Rājā’s Regulatory Duties (ब्राह्मणभेदनिर्णयः)

विकर्मस्थाश्ष नोपेक्ष्या विप्रा राज्ञा कथंचन । नियम्या: संविभज्याश्न धर्मानुग्रहकारणात्‌,राजाको कर्मभ्रष्ट ब्राह्मणोंकी किसी प्रकार उपेक्षा नहीं करनी चाहिये। बल्कि धर्मपर अनुग्रह करनेके लिये उन्हें दण्ड देना और श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणोंकी श्रेणीसे अलग कर देना चाहिये

vikarmasthāś ca nopekṣyā viprā rājñā kathaṃcana | niyamyāḥ saṃvibhajyaś ca dharmānugrahakāraṇāt ||

Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: “Ang mga Brahmin na nalugmok sa maling asal (vikarma) ay hindi dapat balewalain ng hari sa anumang pagkakataon. Alang-alang sa pagtataguyod ng dharma, dapat silang pigilan at disiplinahin, at ihiwalay sa hanay ng mga huwarang Brahmin—upang mapangalagaan ang katuwiran at hindi masugatan ang tiwala ng lipunan sa banal na tungkulin.”

विकर्मस्थाःthose situated in wrongful acts (fallen into misconduct)
विकर्मस्थाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविकर्मस्थ (विकर्म + स्थ)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
उपेक्ष्याःto be neglected/ignored
उपेक्ष्याः:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउपेक्ष्य (उप + ईक्ष्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विप्राःbrahmins
विप्राः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
राज्ञाby the king
राज्ञा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
कथंचनin any way; at all
कथंचन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथंचन
नियम्याःto be restrained/controlled (disciplined)
नियम्याः:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootनियम्य (नि + यम्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
संविभज्यhaving separated/assigned (after dividing off)
संविभज्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसंविभज् (सम् + वि + भज्)
FormAbsolutive (Gerund)
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
धर्मानुग्रहकारणात्for the sake/cause of favoring (supporting) dharma
धर्मानुग्रहकारणात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootधर्मानुग्रहकारण (धर्म + अनुग्रह + कारण)
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
K
king (rājā)
B
Brahmins (viprāḥ)

Educational Q&A

A king must not excuse or ignore wrongdoing simply because the offender is a Brahmin; to protect dharma, he should restrain, correct, and formally distinguish the errant from truly exemplary Brahmins.

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous governance, Bhishma advises the king on how to respond when Brahmins deviate into prohibited conduct: not with neglect, but with corrective restraint and clear social classification to uphold dharma.