Shloka 12
राज्ञो वृत्त-गुण-संग्रहः (Conduct and the Thirty-Six Virtues of a King) / The King’s Code of Conduct
एवं चरस्व राज्यस्थो यदि श्रेय इहेच्छसि । अतोडन्यथा नरपतिर्भयमृत्छत्यनुत्तमम्
evaṁ carasva rājyastho yadi śreya ihecchasi | ato ’nyathā narapatir bhayam ṛcchaty anuttamam, yudhiṣṭhira ||
भीष्म बोले—युधिष्ठिर! यदि तुम इसी लोक में कल्याण चाहते हो, तो राज्य में स्थित रहकर इसी प्रकार आचरण करो; क्योंकि इसके विपरीत चलने वाला राजा अनुपम भय और भारी विपत्ति में पड़ जाता है।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king seeking welfare must remain firmly established in his royal duty and follow the prescribed ethical conduct; deviation from rājadharma leads to severe fear and calamity.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma after the war, warning him that a ruler who governs contrary to dharma invites grave danger.