Shloka 8
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Sarvadamana’s Childhood and Śakuntalā’s Claim at Court
नासीच्चौरभयं तात न क्षुधाभयमण्वपि । नासीद् व्याधिभयं चापि तस्मिञज्जनपदेश्वरे,नरश्रेष्ठ] सभी लोग धर्ममें अनुराग रखते और उसीका सेवन करते थे। अतः धर्म और अर्थ दोनों ही उन्हें स्वतः प्राप्त हो जाते थे। तात! राजा दुष्यन्त जब इस देशके शासक थे, उस समय कहीं चोरोंका भय नहीं था। भूखका भय तो नाममात्रको भी नहीं था। इस देशपर दुष्यन्तके शासनकालमें रोग-व्याधिका डर तो बिलकुल ही नहीं रह गया था
nāsīc caurabhayaṁ tāta na kṣudhābhayam aṇv api | nāsīd vyādhibhayaṁ cāpi tasmiñ janapadeśvare ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Dear child, in that realm there was no fear of thieves, not even the slightest fear of hunger. Nor was there any fear of disease, for that country was under a sovereign ruler. Such was the order of life when righteous kingship prevailed—security, sustenance, and health arose naturally from dharma.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ideal of righteous governance: when a realm is properly ruled in accordance with dharma, basic human fears—crime, hunger, and disease—are minimized, and social well-being becomes a natural outcome of just kingship.
Vaiśampāyana describes the condition of a kingdom under a strong and rightful sovereign, emphasizing the peace and welfare experienced by the people—no theft, no famine, and no widespread illness—thereby praising the quality of that rule.