Shloka 44
आपद्धर्मे वैश्यवृत्तिः, विक्रय-निषेधाः, तथा ब्रह्म-क्षत्र-सम्बन्धः
Emergency Livelihood, Prohibited Trade, and Brahman–Kshatra Regulation
कुन्तीनन्दन! जैसे काठका हाथी, चमड़ेका हिरन, हिजड़ा मनुष्य, ऊसर खेत तथा वर्षा न करनेवाला बादल--ये सब के सब व्यर्थ हैं, उसी प्रकार अपढ़ ब्राह्मण तथा रक्षा न करनेवाला राजा भी सर्वथा निरर्थक हैं ।।
kuntīnandana! yathā kāṣṭhako hastī, carmakṛto hariṇaḥ, ṣaṇḍho manuṣyaḥ, ūṣaraṃ kṣetram tathā vṛṣṭim akurvan meghaḥ—ete sarve vyarthāḥ; tathāvidha eva apāṭhito brāhmaṇaḥ arakṣitā ca rājā sarvathā nirarthakau. nityaṃ yas tu sataḥ rakṣed asataś ca nivartayet | sa eva rājā kartavyas tena sarvam idaṃ dhṛtam ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “O anak ni Kuntī, kung paanong ang elepanteng kahoy, ang usang gawa sa balat, ang eunuko na hindi makaganap sa karaniwang layunin ng buhay-pamilya, ang bukiring maalat at tigang, at ang ulap na hindi umuulan—lahat ay walang saysay; gayon din, ang brāhmaṇa na walang pinag-aralan at ang haring hindi nagtatanggol ay lubos na walang kabuluhan. Ang dapat gawing hari ay yaong laging nag-iingat sa mabubuti at pumipigil sa masasama; sa kanya nakasalalay ang pagpapanatili ng buong kaayusan ng daigdig.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s legitimacy is defined by function: constant protection of the righteous and active restraint of wrongdoing. Without protection, kingship becomes purposeless; likewise, without learning, a Brahmin fails in the role of preserving and teaching dharma.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of a king). Here he uses vivid analogies of ‘useless’ things to stress that social offices (Brahminhood and kingship) are meaningful only when their defining duties—learning/teaching and protection/governance—are actually performed.