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 ||
婆罗多族之雄啊，听了国王的话，那些婆罗门谨守戒律、约束言语，便默然无声，转而投依帕瓦卡——火神。
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.