Shloka 20
Ākiṃcanya–Tyāga Upadeśa
The Instruction on Non-ownership and Renunciation
राजधर्मेति विख्यातो बभूवाप्रतिमो भुवि । देवकन्यासुत: श्रीमान् विद्वान् देवसमप्रभ:
bhīṣma uvāca | rājadharmeti vikhyāto babhūvāpratimo bhuvi | devakanyāsutaḥ śrīmān vidvān devasamaprabhaḥ ||
Bhishma said: He became renowned on earth by the very name “Rājadharma” (Royal Duty), unequalled among men. Born of a celestial maiden, he possessed auspicious splendor and a radiance like that of the gods; he was learned and appeared endowed with divine brilliance.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates rājadharma—righteous royal conduct—as an ideal so eminent that it is personified and praised as incomparable. It implies that true kingship is measured by ethical governance, learning, and a luminous (almost divine) character.
Bhishma introduces or describes a remarkable figure known as “Rājadharma,” emphasizing his unmatched reputation on earth, his celestial birth, his learning, and his godlike radiance—setting a tone of reverence for the standards of ideal rule.