Shloka 36
राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order
राज्: परैः परिभव: सर्वेषामसुखावह: । तस्माच्छत्रं च पत्र च वासांस्थाभरणानि च,राजाका यदि दूसरोंके द्वारा पराभव हुआ तो वह समस्त प्रजाके लिये दुःखदायी होता है; इसलिये प्रजाको चाहिये कि वह राजाके लिये छत्र, वाहन, वस्त्र, आभूषण, भोजन, पान, गृह, आसन और शय्या आदि सभी प्रकारकी सामग्री भेंट करे
rājñaḥ paraiḥ paribhavaḥ sarveṣām asukhāvahaḥ | tasmāc chatraṃ ca patraṃ ca vāsāṃsy ābharaṇāni ca | bhojanaṃ pānaṃ gṛhaṃ cāsanaṃ śayyāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ |
Dijo Bhishma: «Si un rey es humillado o vencido por otros, ello se vuelve fuente de desdicha para todos. Por eso el pueblo debe proveer al rey de todos los apoyos necesarios—como el parasol real, el vehículo, las vestiduras, los ornamentos, comida y bebida, una morada, un asiento y un lecho—para que la autoridad regia permanezca segura y el bien común sea protegido».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The welfare of society is tied to the stability and dignity of kingship; therefore subjects have a dharmic responsibility to materially support the king so that governance remains strong and the community is not harmed by political humiliation or defeat.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma advises (to Yudhishthira) that a king’s being overpowered by rivals brings suffering to all, and thus the populace should furnish the king with the practical and symbolic necessities of sovereignty—parasol, conveyance, clothing, ornaments, and basic comforts.