Shloka 24
एष वृद्धाननाथांश्व पड्गूनन्धांश्व मानवान् । पुत्रवत् पालयामास प्रजा धर्मेण वै विभु:
eṣa vṛddhān anāthāṁś ca paṅgūn andhāṁś ca mānavān | putravat pālayāmāsa prajā dharmeṇa vai vibhuḥ ||
Ce souverain puissant protégeait jusque les vieillards, les sans-appui, les estropiés et les aveugles parmi son peuple. Fidèle au dharma, il veillait sur ses sujets avec la même sollicitude que l’on met à garder et à nourrir ses propres enfants — idéal de royauté fondé sur la compassion et le devoir juste.
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents an ideal of rajadharma: a ruler’s duty is to protect all subjects—especially the vulnerable (elderly, helpless, disabled)—with parental care, and to govern in accordance with dharma rather than self-interest.
Arjuna describes the conduct of a powerful ruler, emphasizing that he maintained and safeguarded his people righteously, extending special care even to those who are socially and physically vulnerable.