Shloka 7
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
यदधीते यद् ददाति यज्जुहोति यदर्चति । राजा चतुर्थभाक् तस्य प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन्
yad adhīte yad dadāti yaj juhoti yad arcati | rājā caturthabhāk tasya prajā dharmeṇa pālayan ||
Bhishma said: Whatever meritorious acts a subject performs—study of sacred texts (svādhyāya), charitable giving, sacrificial offerings (homa), and worship—the king who protects his people in accordance with dharma rightfully receives a fourth share of that merit.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king who protects his subjects according to dharma becomes entitled to a quarter share of the religious merit generated by their study, charity, sacrifices, and worship—implying that righteous governance is itself a spiritually consequential duty.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira principles of righteous rule, explaining how the king’s dharma-based protection of the people links the ruler to the moral and religious prosperity of the realm.