Shloka 16
Kṣātra-dharma in Campaign and Battle: Protection, Purification, and the Ideal Warrior’s End (क्षात्रधर्मः—अभियानयुद्धे रक्षणदानशुद्धिः)
यदि शूरस्तथा क्षेम॑ प्रतिरक्षेद् यथाभये । प्रतिरूपं जन॑ कुर्यान्न चेत् तद्धर्तते तथा
yadi śūras tathā kṣemaṃ pratirakṣed yathābhaye | pratirūpaṃ janaṃ kuryān na cet tad dhartate tathā ||
भीष्म ने कहा—यदि कोई शूरवीर राज्य की क्षेम-रक्षा वैसे ही कर सके जैसे भय के समय करता है, तो उसे उसी कार्य के लिए योग्य पुरुष नियुक्त करना चाहिए। यदि वह ऐसा न करे, तो वह क्षेम-रक्षा उचित रीति से टिक नहीं सकती।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler or protector must ensure public welfare not only in crises but also in peaceful times; if he cannot personally sustain that vigilance, he must appoint a competent and suitable person, otherwise welfare and security will not be properly maintained.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on practical ethics of rule: continuous protection of the realm requires steady oversight and, when necessary, delegation to qualified individuals.