Shloka 5
मयूरवद्राजधर्मः (Mayūra-vat Rāja-dharma) — The Peacock-Model of Protective Kingship
शरभ: शरभस्थाने सिंह: सिंह इवोर्जित: । व्याप्रो व्याप्र इव स्थाप्यो द्वीपी द्वीपी यथा तथा
śarabhaḥ śarabhastāne siṃhaḥ siṃha ivorjitaḥ | vyāghro vyāghra iva sthāpyo dvīpī dvīpī yathā tathā ||
Bhishma dit : « Que le śarabha soit placé au poste qui convient au śarabha ; le lion puissant, à la place du lion ; le tigre, à sa station ; et le léopard, de même, à la sienne. Ainsi, chacun doit être nommé selon sa nature et sa sphère légitime. »
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Appointments and responsibilities should be assigned according to inherent capacity, nature, and rightful sphere (yogyatā and maryādā). Misplacing roles—like putting one creature into another’s station—disrupts order; proper placement sustains dharma and effective governance.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on righteous rule and social order, Bhishma teaches Yudhishthira through a vivid animal analogy: each type of strength has its proper domain, so a ruler should allocate offices and duties to those fit for them, preserving stability and justice.