Shloka 143
Jarāsandha as Obstacle to the Rājasūya — Kṛṣṇa’s Strategic Genealogical Brief
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 13
राजवल्लभतश्चैव नाश्रूयत मृषा कृतम् लुटेरोंसे, ठगोंसे, राजासे तथा राजाके प्रिय व्यक्तियोंसे प्रजाके प्रति अत्याचार या मिथ्या व्यवहार कभी नहीं सुना जाता था और आपसमें भी सारी प्रजा एक-दूसरेसे मिथ्या व्यवहार नहीं करती थी
rājavallabhataś caiva nāśrūyata mṛṣā kṛtam | luṭeraiḥ, ṭhagaiḥ, rājñā tathā rājapriyair janaiḥ prajāyāḥ prati atyācāro vā mithyā vyavahāro vā kadācana na śrūyate sma; parasparaṃ ca sarvā prajā na mithyā vyavaharati sma ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Even from the king’s favourites no false dealing was ever heard of. Neither robbers nor cheats, nor the king, nor those dear to the king were known to oppress the people or act deceitfully toward them; and among themselves too, the whole populace did not engage in dishonest conduct.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds rājadharma and social dharma: those close to power must not exploit it, and a healthy polity is marked by the absence of oppression and deceit—both from rulers and from citizens in their mutual dealings.
Vaiśampāyana describes an exemplary condition of the realm: no reports of false conduct or oppression arise from robbers, cheats, the king, or the king’s favourites, and the people themselves also refrain from dishonest behavior toward one another.