Shloka 11
अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः
Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal
लोकरज्जनमेवात्र राज्ञां धर्म: सनातन: । सत्यस्य रक्षणं चैव व्यवहारस्य चार्जवम्,अत: इस लोकमें प्रजावर्गको प्रसन्न रखना ही राजाओंका सनातन धर्म है। सत्यकी रक्षा और व्यवहारकी सरलता ही राजोचित कर्तव्य है
lokarañjanam evātra rājñāṃ dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | satyasya rakṣaṇaṃ caiva vyavahārasya cārjavam ||
Dijo Bhishma: En este mundo, el dharma eterno de los reyes no es otro que mantener al pueblo satisfecho. Proteger la verdad y conservar la rectitud y la integridad en los asuntos públicos: esas son las obligaciones propias de un rey.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s perennial dharma is public welfare through winning the people’s contentment, grounded in two pillars: safeguarding truth (satya) and maintaining honest, straightforward dealings (ārjava) in administration and social/legal transactions (vyavahāra).
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma teaches principles of rajadharma, summarizing the ruler’s role as ensuring popular well-being and trust by upholding truth and integrity in governance.