Shloka 39
राजधर्मः—प्रमादवर्जनं, दण्डनीतिः, दुर्बलरक्षणम्
Royal Dharma: Vigilance, Just Punishment, Protection of the Vulnerable
विवर्धयति मित्राणि तथारींश्षापि कर्षति । सम्पूजयति साधूंभश्व॒ स राज्ञो धर्म उच्यते,वह जो मित्रोंकी वृद्धि, शत्रुओंका नाश और साधु पुरुषोंका समादर करता है, उसे राजाका धर्म कहते हैं
vivardhayati mitrāṇi tathārīn api karṣati | sampūjayati sādhūṁś ca sa rājño dharma ucyate ||
जिस धर्म से राजा मित्रों और सहायकों की वृद्धि करता है, शत्रुओं को दबाकर क्षीण करता है और साधु-पुरुषों का यथोचित सम्मान करता है—वही राजधर्म कहलाता है।
उतथ्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s dharma is defined as threefold governance: nurturing and empowering friends/allies, restraining and reducing hostile forces, and honoring virtuous people—so that moral order and social stability are upheld.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on royal conduct, the sage Utatthya states a concise criterion for righteous kingship, describing how a ruler should relate to allies, enemies, and the virtuous as part of rajadharma.