Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
ततो वसति दुष्कर्मा नरके शाश्वती: समा: । प्रजानां कल्मषे मग्नो5कीर्तिं पापं च विन्दति,तदनन्तर वह दुराचारी राजा उस पापके कारण बहुत वर्षोतक नरकमें निवास करता है। प्रजाके पापमें ड्ूबकर वह अपयश और पापके फलस्वरूप दुःखका ही भागी होता है
tato vasati duṣkarmā narake śāśvatīḥ samāḥ | prajānāṁ kalmaṣe magno 'kīrtiṁ pāpaṁ ca vindati ||
ثم إن ذلك الحاكم السيّئ الفعل يمكث في الجحيم سنين طويلة لا تنقضي. غارقًا في دنس خطايا رعيته، ينال العار والإثم، وبذلك لا يكون له نصيب إلا العذاب، ثمرةً لذلك الجُرم.
भीष्म उवाच
A ruler is morally accountable for the condition of his realm: if he governs unrighteously and allows his people to fall into wrongdoing, he incurs their moral taint, earns disgrace, and suffers painful consequences (including hell) as the karmic result.
Bhīṣma continues his instruction on rājadharma in the Śānti Parva, warning Yudhiṣṭhira that a corrupt, misgoverning king—entangled in the sins of his subjects—must endure long punishment in hell and gains only ill-fame and suffering.