Shloka 3
Yogakṣema, Purohita, and the Mucukunda–Vaiśravaṇa Dialogue (योगक्षेम–पुरोहित–मुचुकुन्दवैश्रवणसंवादः)
जहाँ ब्राह्मण अपने तेजसे प्रजाके अदृष्ट भयका निवारण करता है और राजा अपने बाहुबलसे दृष्ट भयको दूर करता है, वह राज्य-सुखसे उत्तरोत्तर उन्नति करता है ।। अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । मुचुकुन्दस्य संवादं राज्ञो वैश्रवणस्य च,इस विषयमें विज्ञ पुरुष मुचुकुन्द और राजा कुबेरके संवादरूप एक प्राचीन इतिहासका उदाहरण दिया करते हैं
yatra brāhmaṇaḥ svena tejasā prajāyā adṛṣṭa-bhaya-nivāraṇaṃ karoti rājā ca sva-bāhubalena dṛṣṭa-bhayaṃ dūrīkaroti, tat rājyaṃ sukhenottarottaraṃ vardhate. atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam—mucukundasya saṃvādaṃ rājño vaiśravaṇasya ca.
Bhishma said: In a kingdom where the Brahmin, by the power of his spiritual radiance, removes the unseen fears that afflict the people, and the king, by the strength of his arms, drives away the visible dangers, that realm steadily rises to greater and greater prosperity and well-being. In this very matter, the learned cite an ancient precedent: the old narrative in the form of a dialogue between King Muchukunda and Vaishravana (Kubera).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A stable and flourishing kingdom depends on complementary duties: Brahmins safeguard the realm by spiritual-ethical power that counters unseen dangers, while the king protects through force and administration against visible threats. When both functions operate properly, the state prospers progressively.
Bhishma is instructing on statecraft in the Shanti Parva. He states a principle about how a kingdom advances, then introduces an illustrative ancient episode—presented as a dialogue between King Muchukunda and Vaishravana (Kubera)—as a supporting example for the teaching.