Shloka 26
अध्याय ७२ — राजधर्मः: प्रजारक्षण, कर-नीति, दण्ड-नीति, अमात्य-नियोजन
Chapter 72 — Royal Duty: protection of subjects, taxation, punishment, and appointments
एष एव परो धर्मो यद् राजा रक्षति प्रजा: । भूतानां हि यथा धर्मो रक्षणं परमा दया
eṣa eva paro dharmo yad rājā rakṣati prajāḥ | bhūtānāṃ hi yathā dharmo rakṣaṇaṃ paramā dayā ||
Bhishma déclare que le plus haut devoir d’un roi est précisément celui-ci : protéger ses sujets. Pour tous les êtres vivants, le dharma le plus vrai est la protection elle-même — une compassion suprême et agissante qui sauvegarde la vie et le bien-être.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse defines the king’s highest dharma as protecting the people; more broadly, it presents protection of living beings as the essence of dharma and the highest form of compassion.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on statecraft and ethics, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira on rājadharma, emphasizing that legitimate rule is grounded in safeguarding subjects and practicing compassionate protection.