Shloka 32
राज्ञोऽभिषेकः, अराजकदोषः, दण्डधारणस्य आवश्यकता
Royal Consecration, the Fault of Kinglessness, and the Necessity of Enforcement
ये धर्मकुशला लोके धर्म कुर्वन्ति भारत । पालिता यस्य विषये धर्माशस्तस्य भूपते:
ye dharmakuśalā loke dharma kurvanti bhārata | pālitā yasya viṣaye dharmāśas tasya bhūpateḥ ||
ভীষ্ম বললেন—হে ভারত! যারা জগতে ধর্মে কুশলী হয়ে ধর্মাচরণ করে, তারা যে রাজার রাজ্যে রক্ষিত ও প্রতিপালিত হয়ে বাস করে, সেই রাজা তাদের ধর্মের ষষ্ঠাংশ লাভ করেন।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king who protects and maintains order in his realm becomes ethically connected to the righteous deeds of his subjects and receives a share of their merit; therefore, good governance is itself a moral act with spiritual consequences.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (the duties of a ruler). Here he explains how the king’s protective role makes him a participant in the moral economy of the kingdom, gaining a portion of the merit generated by dharmic citizens.