Shloka 25
Kṣātra-dharma as the Public Foundation of Dharma (क्षात्रधर्म-प्रशंसा)
यथा राजन हस्तिपदे पदानि संलीयन्ते सर्वसत्त्वोदूभवानि । एवं धर्मान् राजधर्मेषु सर्वान् सर्वावस्थान् सम्प्रलीनान् निबोध,नरेश्वर! जैसे हाथीके पदचिह्ममें सभी प्राणियोंके पदचिह्न विलीन हो जाते हैं, उसी प्रकार सब धर्मोको सभी अवस्थाओंमें राजधर्मके भीतर ही समाविष्ट हुआ समझो
yathā rājan hastipade padāni saṃlīyante sarvasattvodbhavāni | evaṃ dharmān rājadharmeṣu sarvān sarvāvasthān sampralīnān nibodha, nareśvara ||
Bhishma said: “O king, just as the footprints of all creatures are gathered and lost within the footprint of an elephant, so too understand this, O lord of men: all forms of dharma, in every condition of life, are comprehended within rājadharma (the king’s duty).”
भीष्म उवाच