Shloka 12
Vidurā–Putra Saṃvāda: Utsāha, Kīrti, and Kṣātra Resolve
Udyoga-parva 131
यं॑ हि धर्म चरन्तीह प्रजा राज्ञा सुरक्षिता: । चतुर्थ तस्य धर्मस्य राजा विन्देत भारत,भारत! राजाके द्वारा सुरक्षित हुई प्रजा यहाँ जिस धर्मका अनुष्ठान करती है, उसका चौथाई भाग उस राजाको मिल जाता है
yaṁ hi dharmaṁ carantīha prajā rājñā surakṣitāḥ | caturthaṁ tasya dharmasya rājā vindeta bhārata bhārata ||
يا بهاراتا! إذا كانت الرعية في هذا العالم مصونةً بحسن حماية ملكها، فعاشت وفق الدharma، فإن الملك ينال بحقٍّ ربعَ ثواب تلك الدharma.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king who genuinely protects his subjects shares in their dharmic merit; governance is ethically consequential, and royal authority is justified by safeguarding people so they can live righteously.
Vāyudeva is instructing a Bhārata-descendant on principles of rājadharma, stating that when subjects practice dharma under a king’s protection, the king receives a quarter share of that merit.