Shloka 22
Brāhmaṇa-vandana: Criteria for Veneration, Disciplined Speech, and Protective Kingship (अनुशासनपर्व, अध्याय ८)
नारी तु पत्यभावे वै देवरं कुरुते पतिम् । पृथिवी ब्राह्मणालाभे क्षत्रियं कुरुते पतिम्
nārī tu patyabhāve vai devaraṃ kurute patim | pṛthivī brāhmaṇālābhe kṣatriyaṃ kurute patim |
毗湿摩说道：“女子若失其夫，或可纳夫之幼弟为夫；同样，大地若不得婆罗门，便以刹帝利为其主。其旨在于：正当权威有其等第——引导达摩的更高阶层当先被推尊；然其缺位之时，为社会安定，亦当承认次一级的护持与统御者。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma teaches a hierarchy of rightful leadership: ideally the Brāhmaṇa (as dharma-guiding authority) is foremost, but when that is unavailable, the Kṣatriya is accepted as ruler-protector to preserve order; the analogy illustrates pragmatic dharma—choosing the next-best legitimate support in a crisis.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction on dharma and governance, he uses a social analogy (a widow accepting the devara) to explain how the Earth/kingdom accepts a Kṣatriya’s sovereignty when a Brāhmaṇa is not present to lead—emphasizing continuity of protection and rule.