Shloka 31
Kośa, Bala, and Maryādā: Treasury, Capacity, and Enforceable Limits (कोश-बल-मर्यादा)
राजा राष्ट्र यथा55पत्सु द्रव्यौघैरपि रक्षति । राष्ट्रेण राजा व्यसने रक्षितव्यस्तथा भवेत्
bhīṣma uvāca | rājā rāṣṭraṃ yathāpattsu dravyaughair api rakṣati | rāṣṭreṇa rājā vyasane rakṣitavyas tathā bhavet ||
Bhishma sprach: „So wie ein König sein Reich in Zeiten der Not schützt—selbst wenn er dafür Ströme von Reichtum aufwenden muss—, ebenso soll das Reich, das heißt sein Volk, den König schützen, wenn ihn das Unglück trifft.“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches reciprocity in rajadharma: the king must protect the people even at great material cost, and the people (the realm) must in turn protect the king when he faces adversity. Stability of the state rests on mutual duty rather than one-sided entitlement.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on governance, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira on the duties binding ruler and subjects. He frames the relationship as a two-way protective bond: royal guardianship in public crises and public support in royal crises.