Shloka 60
Treasury Security, Protection of Informants, and the Kalakavṛkṣīya Exemplum (Śānti Parva 83)
यथा स्यात् सुधृतो दण्डो यथा च सुकृतं कृतम् । तथा समीक्ष्य भगवन् श्रेयसे विनियुड्धक्ष्य माम्
yathā syāt sudhṛto daṇḍo yathā ca sukṛtaṁ kṛtam | tathā samīkṣya bhagavan śreyase viniyujjhakṣya mām, bhagavan |
Bhishma said: “O Blessed Lord, consider how the royal rod of punishment may be firmly and rightly upheld, and how good deeds may truly be accomplished through me. Having reflected on this, direct me onto the path that leads to the highest welfare.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power (daṇḍa) must be held steadily and used rightly, and governance should aim at producing genuine good actions; therefore one should seek wise guidance to be directed toward śreyas—true welfare rather than mere expediency.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and statecraft, Bhishma addresses a revered authority (bhagavan), requesting counsel so that he may uphold royal discipline properly and act in ways that lead to the highest good.