Shloka 28
“आप जैसे राजाके द्वारा सुरक्षित हुई प्रजाएँ जो-जो धर्म करेंगी, उसका चतुर्थ भाग आपको मिलता रहेगा ।। तेन धर्मेण महता सुखं लब्धेन भावित: । पाहास्मान् सर्वतो राजन् देवानिव शतक्रतु:,“राजन! सुखपूर्वक प्राप्त हुए उस महान् धर्मसे सम्पन्न हो आप उसी प्रकार सब ओरसे हमारी रक्षा कीजिये, जैसे इन्द्र देवताओंकी रक्षा करते हैं
āpa jaise rājā ke dvārā surakṣit huī prajāeṁ jo-jo dharma kareṅgī, usakā caturtha bhāga āpako milatā rahegā. tena dharmeṇa mahatā sukhaṁ labdhena bhāvitaḥ | pāhy asmān sarvato rājan devān iva śatakratuḥ ||
Bhishma said: “When subjects are protected by a king like you, whatever righteous acts they perform yield a quarter share of their merit to you. Therefore, enriched by that great dharma—won with ease and bringing well-being—protect us on every side, O King, just as Indra (the hundred-sacrificed lord) protects the gods.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s foremost dharma is protection of the people; when he safeguards them, he becomes a participant in their righteous deeds and receives a quarter share of the resulting merit. Political authority is thus ethically conditioned on guardianship and welfare.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma addresses the reigning king, urging him to protect the community from all sides. He reinforces the appeal by stating the doctrine that a protector-king shares in the subjects’ dharma, and he likens the king’s role to Indra’s protection of the gods.