Shloka 11
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
राजन! पूर्वकालमें मनुने यह उपदेश दिया है कि जो राजा प्रिय और अप्रियके प्रति समान भाव रखकर--किसीके प्रति पक्षपात न करके दण्डका ठीक-ठीक उपयोग करते हुए प्रजाकी भलीभाँति रक्षा करता है, उसका वह कार्य केवल धर्म है
rājan! pūrvakāle manunā ayam upadeśaḥ dattaḥ—yaḥ rājā priya-apriyayoḥ samabhāvaṃ dhṛtvā, kasyāpi pakṣapātaṃ akṛtvā, daṇḍasya yathāvat prayogaṃ kurvan prajāḥ samyak rakṣati, tasya tat karma kevalaṃ dharmaḥ eva.
Bhishma said: “O King, in ancient times Manu taught this: the ruler who remains even-minded toward what is pleasing and displeasing, shows no partiality to anyone, and applies punishment with exact propriety while protecting the people well—his governance is nothing but dharma itself.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s rule becomes dharma when he is impartial toward the pleasant and unpleasant, avoids favoritism, applies punishment in the right measure, and protects the people effectively.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on statecraft and ethics, Bhishma advises the king (Yudhiṣṭhira) by citing Manu’s authoritative teaching on how righteous governance is defined.