Shloka 3
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
भीष्म उवाच राजवृत्तं महाराज शृणुष्वावहितो5खिलम् । यत् कार्य पार्थिवेनादौ पार्थिवप्रकृतेन वा
bhīṣma uvāca rājavṛttaṃ mahārāja śṛṇuṣvāvahito 'khilam | yat kāryaṃ pārthivenādau pārthivaprakṛtena vā ||
قال بهيشما: «أيها الملك العظيم، أَصْغِ بانتباه إلى تمام سنن السلوك الملكي. سأخبرك بما ينبغي للحاكم أن يفعله أولًا—وكذلك بما ينبغي لمن هو، بطبيعته وواجبه، مُهَيَّأٌ لخدمة الملك والقيام بأعباء الشأن السلطاني.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma frames the start of his instruction on rājadharma: a king (and those acting in royal capacity) must first learn and follow the complete discipline of proper governance, approached with careful attention and seriousness.
In the Shanti Parva’s post-war instruction, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira and begins laying out the principles of statecraft and ethical kingship, asking him to listen closely as he explains what a ruler should do first.