Mahabharata · 1.159.21–22
॥
Devanāgarī
न हि केवलशौर्येण तापत्याभिजनेन च ॥
जयेद् अब्राह्मणः कश् चिद् भूमिं भूमिपतिः क्व चित् ॥
तस्माद् एवं विजानीहि कुरूणां वंशवर्धन ॥
ब्राह्मणप्रमुखं राज्यं शक्यं पालयितुं चिरम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na hi kevalaśauryeṇa tāpatyābhijanena ca ||
jayed abrāhmaṇaḥ kaś cid bhūmiṃ bhūmipatiḥ kva cit ||
tasmād evaṃ vijānīhi kurūṇāṃ vaṃśavardhana ||
brāhmaṇapramukhaṃ rājyaṃ śakyaṃ pālayituṃ ciram ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न हि केवलशौर्येण तापत्य अभिजनेन चna hi kevalaśauryeṇa tāpatya abhijanena ca"for not by valor alone, O Tapatya, and [noble] birth
जयेत् अब्राह्मणः कः चित् भूमिं भूमिपतिः क्व चित्jayet abrāhmaṇaḥ kaḥ cit bhūmiṃ bhūmipatiḥ kva citwould any king anywhere conquer [and win] the earth without a brahmin;
तस्मात् एवं विजानीहि कुरूणां वंशवर्धनtasmāt evaṃ vijānīhi kurūṇāṃ vaṃśavardhanatherefore understand thus, O increaser of the Kuru line:
ब्राह्मणप्रमुखं राज्यं शक्यं पालयितुं चिरम्brāhmaṇapramukhaṃ rājyaṃ śakyaṃ pālayituṃ cirama kingdom headed by a brahmin can be protected for a long time"
तापत्याभिजनेनtāpatyābhijanenaoriginal form "tāpatyābhijanena", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
जयेद्jayedoriginal form "jayed", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कश्kaśoriginal form "kaś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चिद्cidoriginal form "cid", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तस्माद्tasmādoriginal form "tasmād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"For not by valor alone, O Tapatya, and noble birth, would any king anywhere conquer and win the earth without a brahmin. Therefore understand this, O increaser of the Kuru line: a kingdom headed by a brahmin can be guarded for a long time."
Version
0008c957c15e · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:19:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the union of spiritual and royal power is proclaimed. The closing word is telling: neither valor nor noble birth by themselves grant lasting dominion -- the guidance of a brahmin is needed; a sword without wisdom is short-lived. Here is an image of right order: kshatra power led by a brahmin is righteous and firm; authority submissive to the spiritual principle is blessed. Thus the scripture shows that earthly dominion stands and endures on the dharma guarded by the holy; and the gandharva's counsel is a teaching for kings of every age: one must rule under the shelter of piety.