Shloka 27
अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन
Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments
तस्मादेवं परं धर्म मन्यन्ते धर्मकोविदा: । यो राजा रक्षणे युक्तो भूतेषु कुरुते दयाम्,इसलिये जो राजा प्रजापालनमें तत्पर रहकर प्राणियोंपर दया करता है, उसके इस बर्तावको धर्मज्ञ पुरुष परम धर्म मानते हैं
tasmād evaṁ paraṁ dharmaṁ manyante dharmakovidāḥ | yo rājā rakṣaṇe yukto bhūteṣu kurute dayām ||
Therefore, the wise who truly understand dharma regard this as the highest dharma: that a king, devoted to the duty of protection, shows compassion toward all living beings. In Bhishma’s ethical teaching, royal power is justified not by conquest or severity, but by vigilant guardianship joined with mercy toward the vulnerable.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The highest dharma for a ruler is protective governance joined with compassion: a king must be actively engaged in safeguarding others and must treat all beings with mercy, not merely enforce power.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on statecraft and righteousness, Bhīṣma is teaching principles of rājadharma, emphasizing that the legitimacy of kingship rests on protection of subjects and compassionate conduct toward living beings.