Shloka 62
Daṇḍanīti and the King as the Cause of Yuga-Order (दण्डनीतिः राजधर्मश्च युगकारणत्वम्)
कृते कर्मणि राजेन्द्र पूजयेद् धनसंचयै: । दानेन च यथार्हेण सान्त्वेन विविधेन च
kṛte karmaṇi rājendra pūjayed dhana-saṃcayaiḥ | dānena ca yathārheṇa sāntvena vividhena ca ||
Bhīṣma said: “O king, when a desired undertaking has been successfully completed, one should honor those who assisted in it—by bestowing ample wealth, by giving gifts and rewards suited to each person’s merit and station, and by offering many kinds of conciliatory, sweet, and reassuring words. Thus does a ruler sustain loyalty, gratitude, and righteous order after the work is done.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should not forget collaborators after success: reward them materially (wealth and appropriate gifts) and emotionally/socially (kind, conciliatory words). Proper recognition sustains dharma, loyalty, and stable governance.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rāja-dharma. Here he gives practical counsel on how a king should treat those who helped accomplish an undertaking—by honoring and rewarding them suitably once the task is completed.