Shloka 26
अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः
Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal
प्रत्यक्षा च परोक्षा च वृत्तिश्चास्य भवेत् समा | एवं कुर्वन् नरेन्द्रोडपि न खेदमिह विन्दति
pratyakṣā ca parokṣā ca vṛttiś cāsya bhavet samā | evaṁ kurvan narendro ’pi na khedam iha vindati ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Qu’il s’agisse d’affaires vues de près ou seulement connues de loin, le roi doit garder envers eux une conduite également impartiale. Le souverain qui agit avec un tel équilibre ne tombe ni dans le malheur ni dans la détresse en ce monde.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should apply the same standard of conduct and judgment to what is directly evident and what is only indirectly known, maintaining impartiality; such evenness protects him from worldly distress.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma continues advising the ruler on sound governance, emphasizing consistent, unbiased policy in both visible and non-visible (reported/inferred) matters.