Shloka 4
राजधर्मस्य नवनीतम्—रक्षा, दण्ड, चार, उत्थान
Rājadharma’s ‘Essence’: Protection, Punishment, Intelligence, and Royal Diligence
रक्षामेव प्रशंसन्ति धर्म धर्मभूतां वर । राज्ञां राजीवताम्राक्ष साधन चात्र मे शृणु
bhīṣma uvāca | rakṣām eva praśaṃsanti dharmaṃ dharmabhūtāṃ vara | rājñāṃ rājīvatāmrākṣa sādhanaṃ cātra me śṛṇu ||
Bhishma said: “O best of the righteous, they praise above all the dharma of protection—the king’s duty that is itself a form of dharma. O lotus-eyed one, listen now as I describe the means by which this protective duty is accomplished.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The king’s foremost dharma is rakṣā—protecting and sustaining the people. This protective function is not merely administrative; it is presented as intrinsically righteous (dharmabhūtā) and therefore the central ethical measure of rulership.
In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on rajadharma. Here he transitions into explaining the practical means (sādhana) of the protective duty of kings, urging Yudhishthira to listen.