Shloka 1
Vyavahāra-Śuddhi and Rājadharma: Clean Administration, Counsel, and Proportional Punishment
Chapter 86
भीकम (2 अमान पञ्चाशीतितमोब<् ध्याय: राजाकी व्यावहारिक नीति, मन्त्रिमण्डलका संघटन, दण्डका औचित्य तथा दूत, द्वारपाल, शिरोरक्षक, मन्त्री और सेनापतिके गुण युधिछिर उवाच कथं स्विदिह राजेन्द्र पालयन् पार्थिव: प्रजा: । प्रीतिं धर्मविशेषेण कीर्तिमाप्रोति शाश्वतीम्,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--राजेन्द्र! इस जगतमें राजा किस प्रकार धर्मविशेषके द्वारा प्रजाका पालन करे, जिससे वह लोगोंका प्रेम और अक्षय कीर्ति प्राप्त कर सके?
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kathaṃ svid iha rājendra pālayan pārthivaḥ prajāḥ | prītiṃ dharmaviśeṣeṇa kīrtim āpnoti śāśvatīm ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O king among kings, how should a ruler in this world protect and govern his subjects so that, by a distinctive adherence to dharma, he wins their affection and attains enduring fame?”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ideal kingship as protection and welfare of the people grounded in dharma; a ruler’s legitimacy is measured not merely by power but by righteous governance that earns public goodwill and lasting reputation.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue on statecraft and royal duty, Yudhiṣṭhira asks the senior authority he is addressing (rājendra) how a king should govern and protect the subjects so as to gain their affection and imperishable fame through exemplary dharma.