Shloka 13
राजधर्मः—प्रजापालनं दानयज्ञश्च
Royal Duty—Protection of Subjects, Generosity, and Sacrificial Discipline
पर्जन्यमिव भूतानि महाद्रुममिव द्विजा: | नरास्तमुपजीवन्ति नृपं सर्वार्थसाधकम्,जैसे सब प्राणी मेघोंके और पक्षी वृक्षोंके सहारे जीवन-निर्वाह करते हैं, उसी प्रकार सब मनुष्य सम्पूर्ण मनोरथोंकी सिद्धि करनेवाले राजाके आश्रित होकर जीवनयापन करते हैं
parjanyam iva bhūtāni mahādrumam iva dvijāḥ | narās tam upajīvanti nṛpaṁ sarvārthasādhakam ||
Bhishma dijo: «Así como los seres viven dependiendo de la nube de lluvia, y las aves dependen de un gran árbol, del mismo modo la gente sostiene su vida apoyándose en un rey, capaz de realizar todos los fines legítimos.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A righteous king is to society what rain is to creatures and a great tree is to birds: a sustaining support. The ethical point is that governance should secure protection, livelihood, and the fulfillment of legitimate needs, so that people can live and pursue dharma.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on rajadharma, Bhishma is teaching Yudhishthira about the king’s role. He uses natural analogies—rain-cloud and tree—to explain why subjects rely on the king and what kind of king truly deserves that reliance.