Shloka 56
Daṇḍa-svarūpa-nirūpaṇa
The Nature, Forms, and Function of Daṇḍa
एतान् मयोक्ताश्नर राजधर्मान् नृणां च गुप्ती मतिमादधत्स्व । अवाप्स्यसे पुण्यफलं सुखेन सर्वो हि लोको नृप धर्ममूल:
etān mayoktān nara-rāja dharmān nṛṇāṁ ca guptīṁ matim ādhatsva | avāpsyase puṇya-phalaṁ sukhena sarvo hi loko nṛpa dharma-mūlaḥ ||
ভীষ্ম ক’লে—হে নৰ-ৰাজা! মই কোৱা এই ৰাজধৰ্মসমূহ মনত ধৰি আচৰণ কৰা, আৰু প্ৰজাৰ ৰক্ষা-শাসনত মনোনিবেশ কৰা। তেনে কৰিলে তুমি সহজে পুণ্যফল আৰু কল্যাণ লাভ কৰিবা; কিয়নো, হে নৃপ, সমগ্ৰ লোক ধৰ্মমূলে প্ৰতিষ্ঠিত।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should internalize and practice rājadharma—especially the safeguarding and welfare of the subjects—because social order and prosperity rest on dharma, and such conduct yields merit and well-being.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhishma instructs the king (Yudhishthira) on statecraft and righteous rule; here he urges the king to follow the royal duties he has explained and to focus on protecting the people.