Shloka 22
Puruṣaikatva-vyākhyāna: The One Virāṭ Puruṣa and the Many ‘Puruṣas’
Rudra–Brahmā Saṃvāda
मानना तु द्विजातीनां कर्तव्या वै महात्मनाम्,“नृपश्रेष्ठ! तुम्हें महात्मा ब्राह्मणोंका सदा ही समादर करना चाहिये। अवश्य ही यह उनकी तपस्याका फल है; जिससे तुम आकाशसे सहसा भ्रष्ट होकर पातालमें चले आये हो
mānanā tu dvijātīnāṁ kartavyā vai mahātmanām | nṛpaśreṣṭha! tvayā mahātmabrāhmaṇānāṁ sadā samādaraḥ kartavyaḥ | avaśyaṁ hi tad eṣāṁ tapasyāphalam, yena tvaṁ ākāśāt sahasā bhraṣṭaḥ pātāle prāptaḥ ||
毗湿摩说：伟大之人确应敬奉“二次生者”（婆罗门等）。噢，诸王之最，你当恒常礼敬大婆罗门。这必是他们苦行之果：凭其威力，你忽从天界坠落，被抛入下界幽冥之处。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should consistently honor the twice-born—especially Brahmins—because their spiritual discipline (tapas) carries real moral and social power; neglecting or opposing them can lead to downfall, while honoring them supports righteous rule (dharma).
Bhishma addresses a king and explains that the king’s sudden fall from the sky into the netherworld is the consequence of the Brahmins’ ascetic power—implying that their tapas has produced an effect that overpowered the king’s position.