Shloka 60
Daṇḍotpatti-kathana (Origin and Function of Daṇḍa) — वसुहोम–मान्धातृ संवाद
माता पिता च भ्राता च भार्या चैव पुरोहित: । नादण्ड्यो विद्यते राज्ञो यः स्वधर्मे न तिष्ठति
mātā pitā ca bhrātā ca bhāryā caiva purohitaḥ | nādaṇḍyo vidyate rājño yaḥ svadharme na tiṣṭhati ||
Dijo Bhīṣma: Para un rey no hay nadie exento de castigo—sea madre, padre, hermano, esposa o incluso el sacerdote real—si esa persona no se mantiene firme en su propio dharma. La justicia del soberano debe amparar el dharma haciendo responsables a todos, aun a los más cercanos y venerados, cuando se apartan de la conducta recta.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s duty is impartial justice: no relationship or status—family ties or priestly authority—creates immunity if a person abandons svadharma. Upholding dharma requires equal accountability.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira principles of governance. Here he emphasizes that the ruler must punish wrongdoing even among the closest relatives and the purohita when they deviate from their duties.