Shloka 4
राजा-दैवतत्वम् — The King as a Stabilizing ‘Daivata’ (Divine Function) in Social Order
इन्द्रमेव प्रवृणुते यद्राजानमिति श्रुति: । यथैवेन्द्रस्तथा राजा सम्पूज्यो भूतिमिच्छता
indram eva pravṛṇute yad rājānam iti śrutiḥ | yathaivendraḥ tathā rājā sampūjyo bhūtim icchatā ||
Bhishma dit : «La tradition sacrée déclare : “Quand le peuple choisit un roi, il choisit en vérité Indra lui-même.” Aussi, celui qui recherche le bien-être et la prospérité du monde doit-il honorer le roi avec la même révérence que celle due à Indra, voyant dans la royauté légitime un appui de l’ordre et du bien commun, voulu par le divin.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate kingship is to be regarded as divinely representative: choosing a king is likened to choosing Indra, so those who seek prosperity and the common good should honor the king as a pillar of dharma and social order.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma teaches Yudhiṣṭhira about the sanctity and social necessity of kingship, citing śruti to justify reverence toward the king for the sake of public welfare.