Shloka 20
राजधर्मस्य नवनीतम्—रक्षा, दण्ड, चार, उत्थान
Rājadharma’s ‘Essence’: Protection, Punishment, Intelligence, and Royal Diligence
यच्चास्य कार्य वृजिनमार्जवेनैव धारयेत् । दम्भनार्थ च लोकस्य धर्मिष्ठामाचरेत् क्रियाम्
yaccāsya kārya vṛjinam ārjavenaiva dhārayet | dambhanārthaṃ ca lokasya dharmiṣṭhām ācaret kriyām ||
Bhishma said: Whatever wrongful act he may have to undertake, he should bear it only with straightforwardness (without crookedness or concealment). And for the sake of setting an example before the world, he should perform deeds that are most firmly grounded in dharma—so that people are not misled by hypocrisy but guided by righteous conduct.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when compelled to deal with morally tainted necessities, one should act with straightforward honesty and avoid deceit; at the same time, one must actively practice the most dharmic conduct so that society is guided by genuine righteousness rather than hypocrisy.
In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and governance. Here he emphasizes integrity (ārjava) and the ruler’s duty to model righteous action publicly, warning against conduct that becomes mere show (dambha) and misleads the world.