Mahabharata
Baka-dālbhya-upadeśa-parva (The Power of Brahma and Kshatra)3.27.9-20
2895 / 15823
Mahabharata · 3.27.9-20
Devanāgarī

इदं तु वचनं पार्थ शृण्व् एकाग्रमना मम ॥
भ्रातृभिः सह कौन्तेय यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि कौरव ॥
ब्रह्म क्षत्रेण संसृष्टं क्षत्रं च ब्रह्मणा सह ॥
उदीर्णौ दहतः शत्रून् वनानीवाग्निमारुतौ ॥
नाब्राह्मणस् तात चिरं बुभूषेद्; इच्छन्न् इमं लोकम् अमुं च जेतुम् ॥
विनीतधर्मार्थम् अपेतमोहं; लब्ध्वा द्विजं नुदति नृपः सपत्नान् ॥
चरन् नैःश्रेयसं धर्मं प्रजापालनकारितम् ॥
नाध्यगच्छद् बलिर् लोके तीर्थम् अन्यत्र वै द्विजात् ॥
अनूनम् आसीद् असुरस्य कामैर्; वैरोचनेः श्रीर् अपि चाक्षयासीत् ॥
लब्ध्वा महीं ब्राह्मणसंप्रयोगात्; तेष्व् आचरन् दुष्टम् अतो व्यनश्यत् ॥
नाब्राह्मणं भूमिर् इयं सभूतिर्; वर्णं द्वितीयं भजते चिराय ॥
समुद्रनेमिर् नमते तु तस्मै; यं ब्राह्मणः शास्ति नयैर् विनीतः ॥
कुञ्जरस्येव संग्रामे ऽपरिगृह्याङ्कुशग्रहम् ॥
ब्राह्मणैर् विप्रहीणस्य क्षत्रस्य क्षीयते बलम् ॥
ब्रह्मण्य् अनुपमा दृष्टिः क्षात्रम् अप्रतिमं बलम् ॥
तौ यदा चरतः सार्धम् अथ लोकः प्रसीदति ॥
यथा हि सुमहान् अग्निः कक्षं दहति सानिलः ॥
तथा दहति राजन्यो ब्राह्मणेन समं रिपून् ॥
ब्राह्मणेभ्यो ऽथ मेधावी बुद्धिपर्येषणं चरेत् ॥
अलब्धस्य च लाभाय लब्धस्य च विवृद्धये ॥
अलब्धलाभाय च लब्धवृद्धये; यथार्हतीर्थप्रतिपादनाय ॥
यशस्विनं वेदविदं विपश्चितं; बहुश्रुतं ब्राह्मणम् एव वासय ॥
ब्राह्मणेषूत्तमा वृत्तिस् तव नित्यं युधिष्ठिर ॥
तेन ते सर्वलोकेषु दीप्यते प्रथितं यशः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

idaṃ tu vacanaṃ pārtha śṛṇv ekāgramanā mama ||
bhrātṛbhiḥ saha kaunteya yat tvāṃ vakṣyāmi kaurava ||
brahma kṣatreṇa saṃsṛṣṭaṃ kṣatraṃ ca brahmaṇā saha ||
udīrṇau dahataḥ śatrūn vanānīvāgnimārutau ||
nābrāhmaṇas tāta ciraṃ bubhūṣed; icchann imaṃ lokam amuṃ ca jetum ||
vinītadharmārtham apetamohaṃ; labdhvā dvijaṃ nudati nṛpaḥ sapatnān ||
caran naiḥśreyasaṃ dharmaṃ prajāpālanakāritam ||
nādhyagacchad balir loke tīrtham anyatra vai dvijāt ||
anūnam āsīd asurasya kāmair; vairocaneḥ śrīr api cākṣayāsīt ||
labdhvā mahīṃ brāhmaṇasaṃprayogāt; teṣv ācaran duṣṭam ato vyanaśyat ||
nābrāhmaṇaṃ bhūmir iyaṃ sabhūtir; varṇaṃ dvitīyaṃ bhajate cirāya ||
samudranemir namate tu tasmai; yaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ śāsti nayair vinītaḥ ||
kuñjarasyeva saṃgrāme 'parigṛhyāṅkuśagraham ||
brāhmaṇair viprahīṇasya kṣatrasya kṣīyate balam ||
brahmaṇy anupamā dṛṣṭiḥ kṣātram apratimaṃ balam ||
tau yadā carataḥ sārdham atha lokaḥ prasīdati ||
yathā hi sumahān agniḥ kakṣaṃ dahati sānilaḥ ||
tathā dahati rājanyo brāhmaṇena samaṃ ripūn ||
brāhmaṇebhyo 'tha medhāvī buddhiparyeṣaṇaṃ caret ||
alabdhasya ca lābhāya labdhasya ca vivṛddhaye ||
alabdhalābhāya ca labdhavṛddhaye; yathārhatīrthapratipādanāya ||
yaśasvinaṃ vedavidaṃ vipaścitaṃ; bahuśrutaṃ brāhmaṇam eva vāsaya ||
brāhmaṇeṣūttamā vṛttis tava nityaṃ yudhiṣṭhira ||
tena te sarvalokeṣu dīpyate prathitaṃ yaśaḥ ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
इदम् तु वचनम् पार्थ शृणु एकाग्रमनाः मम भ्रातृभिः सह कौन्तेय यत् त्वाम् वक्ष्यामि कौरवidam tu vacanam pārtha śṛṇu ekāgramanāḥ mama bhrātṛbhiḥ saha kaunteya yat tvām vakṣyāmi kauravathis is my word, O Partha, listen with a focused mind together with your brothers, O Kaunteya, to what I shall tell you, O Kaurava
ब्रह्म क्षत्रेण संसृष्टम् क्षत्रम् च ब्रह्मणा सह उदीर्णौ दहतः शत्रून् वनानि इव अग्निमारुतौbrahma kṣatreṇa saṃsṛṣṭam kṣatram ca brahmaṇā saha udīrṇau dahataḥ śatrūn vanāni iva agnimārutauBrahman united with kshatra, and kshatra together with Brahman, once risen, burn up enemies, like fire and wind burn forests
न अब्राह्मणः तात चिरम् बुभूषेत् इच्छन् इमम् लोकम् अमुम् च जेतुम् विनीतधर्मार्थम् अपेतमोहं लब्ध्वा द्विजम् नुदति नृपः सपत्नान्na abrāhmaṇaḥ tāta ciram bubhūṣet icchan imam lokam amum ca jetum vinītadharmārtham apetamohaṃ labdhvā dvijam nudati nṛpaḥ sapatnāna king who wishes to prosper long and conquer this world and the next must not be without a brahmana; having obtained a humble twice-born one who knows dharma and benefit and is free from delusion, he drives off his rivals
चरन् नैःश्रेयसम् धर्मम् प्रजापालनकारितम् न अध्यगच्छत् बलिः लोके तीर्थम् अन्यत्र वै द्विजात्caran naiḥśreyasam dharmam prajāpālanakāritam na adhyagacchat baliḥ loke tīrtham anyatra vai dvijātfollowing the highest dharma, which consists in protecting one's subjects, Bali found no refuge in the world other than the twice-born
अनूनम् आसीत् असुरस्य कामैः वैरोचनेः श्रीः अपि च अक्षया आसीत् लब्ध्वा महीम् ब्राह्मणसंप्रयोगात् तेषु आचरन् दुष्टम् अतः व्यनश्यत्anūnam āsīt asurasya kāmaiḥ vairocaneḥ śrīḥ api ca akṣayā āsīt labdhvā mahīm brāhmaṇasaṃprayogāt teṣu ācaran duṣṭam ataḥ vyanaśyatthe asura Vairochani's desires were fulfilled, and his fortune was inexhaustible; having gained the earth through his alliance with brahmanas, he treated them wickedly and so perished
न अब्राह्मणम् भूमिः इयम् सभूतिः वर्णम् द्वितीयम् भजते चिराय समुद्रनेमिः नमते तु तस्मै यम् ब्राह्मणः शास्ति नयैः विनीतःna abrāhmaṇam bhūmiḥ iyam sabhūtiḥ varṇam dvitīyam bhajate cirāya samudranemiḥ namate tu tasmai yam brāhmaṇaḥ śāsti nayaiḥ vinītaḥthis earth with its riches does not long serve the second varna without a brahmana; the earth bounded by the ocean bows before him whom a brahmana, disciplined by right conduct, instructs
कुञ्जरस्य इव संग्रामे अपरिगृह्य अङ्कुशग्रहम् ब्राह्मणैः विप्रहीणस्य क्षत्रस्य क्षीयते बलम्kuñjarasya iva saṃgrāme aparigṛhya aṅkuśagraham brāhmaṇaiḥ viprahīṇasya kṣatrasya kṣīyate balamas with an elephant in battle with no one holding the goad, so the strength of a kshatra deprived of brahmanas wanes
ब्रह्मणि अनुपमा दृष्टिः क्षात्रम् अप्रतिमम् बलम् तौ यदा चरतः सार्धम् अथ लोकः प्रसीदतिbrahmaṇi anupamā dṛṣṭiḥ kṣātram apratimam balam tau yadā carataḥ sārdham atha lokaḥ prasīdatiin Brahman is incomparable vision, in kshatra incomparable strength; when the two act together, the world grows favorable
यथा हि सुमहान् अग्निः कक्षम् दहति सानिलः तथा दहति राजन्यः ब्राह्मणेन समम् रिपून्yathā hi sumahān agniḥ kakṣam dahati sānilaḥ tathā dahati rājanyaḥ brāhmaṇena samam ripūnas a great fire fanned by the wind burns dry thicket, so a king together with a brahmana burns up his foes
ब्राह्मणेभ्यः अथ मेधावी बुद्धिपर्येषणम् चरेत् अलब्धस्य च लाभाय लब्धस्य च विवृद्धयेbrāhmaṇebhyaḥ atha medhāvī buddhiparyeṣaṇam caret alabdhasya ca lābhāya labdhasya ca vivṛddhayethe wise man should seek wisdom from brahmanas, for the gaining of what is not yet gained and the increase of what is already gained
अलब्धलाभाय च लब्धवृद्धये यथार्हतीर्थप्रतिपादनाय यशस्विनम् वेदविदम् विपश्चितम् बहुश्रुतम् ब्राह्मणम् एव वासयalabdhalābhāya ca labdhavṛddhaye yathārhatīrthapratipādanāya yaśasvinam vedavidam vipaścitam bahuśrutam brāhmaṇam eva vāsayafor gaining the ungained, increasing the gained, and rightly establishing the proper paths, keep at your side a renowned brahmana, versed in the Veda, wise and widely learned
ब्राह्मणेषु उत्तमा वृत्तिः तव नित्यम् युधिष्ठिर तेन ते सर्वलोकेषु दीप्यते प्रथितम् यशःbrāhmaṇeṣu uttamā vṛttiḥ tava nityam yudhiṣṭhira tena te sarvalokeṣu dīpyate prathitam yaśaḥyou, Yudhishthira, always show the best conduct toward brahmanas; therefore your renowned fame shines in all the worlds
इदंidaṃoriginal form "idaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वचनंvacanaṃoriginal form "vacanaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शृण्व्śṛṇvoriginal form "śṛṇv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एकाग्रमनाekāgramanāoriginal form "ekāgramanā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वांtvāṃoriginal form "tvāṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
संसृष्टंsaṃsṛṣṭaṃoriginal form "saṃsṛṣṭaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
क्षत्रंkṣatraṃoriginal form "kṣatraṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वनानीवाग्निमारुतौvanānīvāgnimārutauoriginal form "vanānīvāgnimārutau", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाब्राह्मणस्nābrāhmaṇasoriginal form "nābrāhmaṇas", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चिरंciraṃoriginal form "ciraṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बुभूषेद्bubhūṣedoriginal form "bubhūṣed", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
इच्छन्न्icchannoriginal form "icchann", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
इमंimaṃoriginal form "imaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अमुंamuṃoriginal form "amuṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
द्विजंdvijaṃoriginal form "dvijaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नैःश्रेयसंnaiḥśreyasaṃoriginal form "naiḥśreyasaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
धर्मंdharmaṃoriginal form "dharmaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाध्यगच्छद्nādhyagacchadoriginal form "nādhyagacchad", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बलिर्baliroriginal form "balir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
आसीद्āsīdoriginal form "āsīd", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कामैर्kāmairoriginal form "kāmair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
श्रीर्śrīroriginal form "śrīr", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चाक्षयासीत्cākṣayāsītoriginal form "cākṣayāsīt", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
महींmahīṃoriginal form "mahīṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
तेष्व्teṣvoriginal form "teṣv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अतोatooriginal form "ato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नाब्राह्मणंnābrāhmaṇaṃoriginal form "nābrāhmaṇaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भूमिर्bhūmiroriginal form "bhūmir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
इयंiyaṃoriginal form "iyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सभूतिर्sabhūtiroriginal form "sabhūtir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वर्णंvarṇaṃoriginal form "varṇaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
द्वितीयंdvitīyaṃoriginal form "dvitīyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
समुद्रनेमिर्samudranemiroriginal form "samudranemir", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यंyaṃoriginal form "yaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नयैर्nayairoriginal form "nayair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कुञ्जरस्येवkuñjarasyevaoriginal form "kuñjarasyeva", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽपरिगृह्याङ्कुशग्रहम्'parigṛhyāṅkuśagrahamoriginal form "'parigṛhyāṅkuśagraham", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ब्राह्मणैर्brāhmaṇairoriginal form "brāhmaṇair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ब्रह्मण्य्brahmaṇyoriginal form "brahmaṇy", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
अप्रतिमंapratimaṃoriginal form "apratimaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कक्षंkakṣaṃoriginal form "kakṣaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
राजन्योrājanyooriginal form "rājanyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
समंsamaṃoriginal form "samaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ब्राह्मणेभ्योbrāhmaṇebhyooriginal form "brāhmaṇebhyo", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽथ'thaoriginal form "'tha", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बुद्धिपर्येषणंbuddhiparyeṣaṇaṃoriginal form "buddhiparyeṣaṇaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
यशस्विनंyaśasvinaṃoriginal form "yaśasvinaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वेदविदंvedavidaṃoriginal form "vedavidaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विपश्चितंvipaścitaṃoriginal form "vipaścitaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बहुश्रुतंbahuśrutaṃoriginal form "bahuśrutaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ब्राह्मणेषूत्तमाbrāhmaṇeṣūttamāoriginal form "brāhmaṇeṣūttamā", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वृत्तिस्vṛttisoriginal form "vṛttis", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नित्यंnityaṃoriginal form "nityaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
प्रथितंprathitaṃoriginal form "prathitaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation

Baka Dalbhya said: "Listen carefully, together with your brothers. Brahman, joined with kshatra, and kshatra, joined with Brahman, burn up enemies as fire and wind burn a forest. A king must not be without a brahmana if he wishes to conquer this world and the next. Bali gained the earth through his alliance with brahmanas, but, having treated them wickedly, he perished. The earth does not long serve a kshatriya without a brahmana's guidance; the strength of a kshatra without brahmanas is like an elephant without its driver. In Brahman is vision; in kshatra is strength; together they bring peace to the world. Therefore a wise king seeks wisdom from brahmanas, to gain what is not yet gained and to increase what is gained. You, Yudhishthira, always hold to the best course toward brahmanas, and so your fame shines in all the worlds."

Version

78fd48b67ab4 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:48:53 PM UTC

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