Shloka 32
राजधर्मः—राष्ट्ररक्षणं, दण्डनीतिः, हयग्रीवोपाख्यानम्
Royal Duty: Protection, Penal Policy, and the Hayagrīva Exemplum
दीक्षां राज्ञ: संयुगे युद्धमाहु- योग राज्ये दण्डनीत्यां च सम्यक् । वित्तत्यागो दक्षिणानां च यज्ञे सम्यग दानं पावनानीति विद्यात्,राजाके लिये संग्राममें जूझना ही यज्ञकी दीक्षा लेना बताया गया है। राज्यकी रक्षा करते हुए दण्डनीतिमें भलीभाँति प्रतिष्ठित होना ही उसके लिये योगसाधन है तथा यज्ञमें दक्षिणारूपसे धनका त्याग एवं उत्तम रीतिसे दान ही राजाके लिये त्याग है। ये तीनों कर्म राजाको पवित्र करनेवाले हैं, ऐसा समझे
dīkṣāṁ rājñaḥ saṁyuge yuddham āhur yogaṁ rājye daṇḍanītyāṁ ca samyak | vittatyāgo dakṣiṇānāṁ ca yajñe samyag dānaṁ pāvanānīti vidyāt ||
Vyāsa said: For a king, they declare that the very act of striving in battle is his consecration for sacrifice. To protect the realm and to be firmly established in righteous governance and the science of punishment is his discipline of yoga. To relinquish wealth as sacrificial fees and to give properly—these are his true acts of renunciation. Know that these three duties are what purify a king.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reframes a king’s spiritual life in terms of public duty: (1) courageous engagement in rightful battle is his sacrificial consecration, (2) just governance through daṇḍanīti is his yogic discipline, and (3) giving—especially sacrificial fees and proper charity—is his renunciation. These three purify the ruler.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Vyāsa explains to the listener that a king’s path to purity is not withdrawal from action but the righteous performance of royal responsibilities—war when necessary, protection and justice in शासन, and generous giving.