Shloka 5
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
विषमस्थं हि राजानं शत्रव: परिपन्थिन: । बहवोडप्येकमुद्धर्तु यतन्ते पूर्वतापिता:,पहलेके सताये हुए डाकू आदि शत्रु जब राजाको संकटमें पड़ा हुआ देखते हैं, तब वे बहुत-से मिलकर उस असहाय राजाको उखाड़ फेंकनेका प्रयत्न करते हैं
viṣamasthaṃ hi rājānaṃ śatravaḥ paripanthinaḥ | bahavo 'py ekam uddhartuṃ yatante pūrvatāpitāḥ ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “For when enemies—highwaymen and other hostile men—see a king fallen into distress, they, many together, strive to uproot and overthrow that lone, helpless ruler, especially those who have previously been chastised by him.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s vulnerability invites coordinated aggression: when authority is weakened, hostile forces—especially those previously restrained—quickly unite to overthrow order. The verse underscores the ethical and practical need for stable governance and preparedness.
In the Śānti Parva’s discussion of rājadharma, Yudhiṣṭhira observes that enemies and bandits watch for a king’s misfortune; seeing him in crisis, they band together to depose him, particularly those who had earlier suffered punishment under his rule.