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
rājñaḥ paraiḥ paribhavaḥ sarveṣām asukhāvahaḥ | tasmāc chatraṃ ca patraṃ ca vāsāṃsy ābharaṇāni ca | bhojanaṃ pānaṃ gṛhaṃ cāsanaṃ śayyāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ |
Bhīṣma dit : «Si un roi est humilié ou vaincu par d’autres, cela devient une source de malheur pour tous. C’est pourquoi le peuple doit fournir au roi tous les soutiens nécessaires—tel le parasol royal, un moyen de transport, des vêtements, des ornements, nourriture et boisson, une demeure, un siège et une couche—afin que l’autorité royale demeure ferme et que le bien commun soit préservé.»
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.