Shloka 28
राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order
“आप जैसे राजाके द्वारा सुरक्षित हुई प्रजाएँ जो-जो धर्म करेंगी, उसका चतुर्थ भाग आपको मिलता रहेगा ।।
āpa jaise rājā ke dvārā surakṣit huī prajāeṁ jo-jo dharma kareṅgī, usakā caturtha bhāga āpako milatā rahegā. tena dharmeṇa mahatā sukhaṁ labdhena bhāvitaḥ | pāhy asmān sarvato rājan devān iva śatakratuḥ ||
Bhishma dit : «Lorsque les sujets sont protégés par un roi tel que toi, quels que soient les actes justes qu’ils accomplissent, le quart de leur mérite te revient. Ainsi, enrichi par ce grand dharma — acquis sans peine et porteur de bien-être — protège-nous de toutes parts, ô Roi, comme Indra (le seigneur aux cent sacrifices) protège les dieux.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s foremost dharma is protection of the people; when he safeguards them, he becomes a participant in their righteous deeds and receives a quarter share of the resulting merit. Political authority is thus ethically conditioned on guardianship and welfare.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on kingship, Bhishma addresses the reigning king, urging him to protect the community from all sides. He reinforces the appeal by stating the doctrine that a protector-king shares in the subjects’ dharma, and he likens the king’s role to Indra’s protection of the gods.